Spencer

Last Thursday in Pocono, Pa., we held the 5th Annual Jimmy Spencer Golf Tournament to benefit local charities in my home state of Pennsylvania. We support many local charities, but I especially like to help out handicapped kids. I've always been a big supporter of them.

We raised about $70,000 last weekend in Pocono and that will go to all the local charities that need it. We started this in 1998 and it's been a big success every year.

I was playing golf with a bunch of guys one day and we started talking about charities and different ways of giving to the community. That's how we came up with the idea of having this golf tournament every year to help the kids in my home state.

I really didn't take golfing up until one day I was driving for a Winston Cup team and the public relations person said that we kept getting invites to play in these different golf tournaments. I didn't know how to play and he said, "Well let's just go anyways." So we went and I was embarrassed.

	Spencer raised $70,000 at his charity golf tournament.

So I started practicing and really caught on to it. My best ever game was an 82 and that's counting every stroke. I'm a high-average scoring golfer. I like going out and enjoying the weather and meeting people.

I think there's a relationship between how drivers train and golfers train for their game. Golfers have to focus a lot and concentrate on what they're doing. They have to concentrate on hitting the ball and reading the putt. I think golfers are similar to racers because of that reason.

This weekend we're racing at the famed Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The track is located in the center of town; you can see the downtown skyscrapers from the grandstands. When you go there it brings back memories of Mario Andretti, A.J. Foyt, the Unsers' and Rick Mears.

It's special to go there and run good, simply because of the history of the track. I watched a lot of Indianapolis 500s growing up. It was without a doubt the biggest race of the year. I don't think it is right now, I think the Daytona 500 took over. But it's a special place to race there.

I won the pole at Indy last season, which was really special. We're hoping to repeat that this season with Team Target.

Jimmy Spencer is the driver of the No. 41 Target Dodge Intrepid R/T. He will be providing a regular diary to ESPN.com throughout the Winston Cup season.