Backstretch Motorsports

Tony Stewart’s Home Depot Toyota started in the rear of the All-Star field because of an engine change, the rowdy one had checked out and was running in a different time zone in the first two segments and lost, Denny Hamlin was comfortably leading in the last segment when his engine expired.

For some, the way of thinking may be there’s a chink in the seemingly impenetrable JGR or TRD armor.

Not so and here’s why.

In the Sprint Cup All-Star and the Bud Shootout events, teams take chances. Chances with tunings of chassis and engines that would never be acceptable in a points paying event.

Tunings that reflect the sprint-style race format. Go flat-out for a short burst of competition.

Well… as best laid plans sometimes don’t come though to fruition, such is the case here.

Just a bit too extreme on the short burst scenario. The power plants simply didn’t last.

But here’s a consideration that caused more than one long face in the post-race garage areas:
even on seven cylinders and with internal engine pieces coming apart. Busch and Hamlin were still covering the field.

Beating the socks off of them until the horsepower simply went away.

Something else that seems to be happening that has for the most part gone largely unnoticed.

Sam Hornish Jr. Talk about a maturing driver, gaining on the NASCAR skills and confidence.

With a chance to push the issue with A.J. Allmendinger in the hooligan race, he chose to look at the big picture and save his stuff for the chance to race with the big boys.

And he finished an impressive 7th with the best of the best.

Not bad.

Stay Tuned.