In last nights Irwin Tools Night Race at Bristol Motor Speedway, cars wrecked, tempers flared and the drivers were definitely challenged on a track that had been through track modifications raising lots of unknowns for the drivers and their teams. In the end, Denny Hamlin driver of the No.11 FedEx Toyota found himself in victory lane with a win that he described as “the greatest win of his career”.
Meanwhile, we look back earlier in the race, around lap 332. It was a restart and Roush Fenway driver Matt Kenseth was in front, as he had been numerous times during the night. Tony Stewart, driver of the No.14 Office Depot Chevrolet had gotten a good run on Kenseth and passed him. Stewart and Kenseth bumped for a little while as Kenseth tried to pass him back. They were both driving hard when a little rubbing during racing went to far and took both cars out of contention for the win. Stewart and Kenseth wrecked into each other, Stewart immediately got out of his car while Kenseth drove his car to pit road for repairs.
Stewart grabbed his helmet out of the car and walked down pit road, and as the No.16 of Kenseth passed by Stewart flung his helmet the car nailing right on the hood. Fans were in an uproar, Stewart had just added a little bit more excitement to night racing at Bristol.
Stewart was fuming, after he threw the helmet and started walking back he whipped his hand in the air towards the fans.
Stewart’s comments after the race were not really surprising, “We weren’t that great of a race car. But we were definitely faster than that after that restart. I checked-up twice to not run over him (Kenseth) and I learned my lesson there; I’m going to run over him every him every chance I’ve got from now ’til the end of the year, every chance I’ve got.
When he was told he could get his helmet back since his aim was precise, he replied, ““I don’t give a crap. The hell with the helmet.”
On Twitter, Mike Calinoff, spotter for the No.17 of Kenseth said, “Everyone is going for the same prize. We race everyone the way they race us. ”
You can see the video of Stewart and Kenseth here if you happened to miss it.
