When James Hinchcliffe decided to enter the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race in St. Petersburg, he probably didn’t imagine things would turn out the way they ultimately did. Driving the No. 77 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet with the name “Jimmy Hinch” above the driver’s door, the Canadian driver planned to compete in his first-ever NASCAR race.
After starting third with minimal practice due to rain canceling most of the on-track action on Friday night, he did well to stay in the top ten from the opening laps. However, the first truck to mount it during the race was none other than fellow former IndyCar star Dario Franchitti.
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The two trucks slammed into each other, shaking the right side of Hinch’s truck and crumpling the right front fender. The team worked on the truck during the Stage 1 break while he was 11th, and he still seemed to have decent pace. However, he then disappeared from the timing screen after missing a turn and headed towards the runoff zone, falling freely through the peloton and finishing stage 2 in 22nd position.
While returning to the top 20, Hinchcliffe made contact with another truck and spun wildly. It looked like the race was going to get worse from there, but in reality it got a lot better. Undeterred, Hinchcliffe began to make his way back across the field on fresh tyres. And by the time the checkered flag flew, he had reached the top ten, finishing tenth and beating his teammate.
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“If I could start the race knowing what I knew in Stage 3, it would be different. I learned so much about tire management, traffic management and racing from these guys. But hey, it was a big effort to come back twice and finish in the top ten.”
“I can’t thank Spire enough, and I hope I get to do it again someday.”
That last sentence makes it clear that Saturday’s race may not be “Jimmy Hinch” in the NASCAR world. He’s already a six-time race winner and pole-sitter for the 2016 Indianapolis 500 thanks to his past as an IndyCar driver, and the 39-year-old would surely like to add a NASCAR trophy to his collection before his career ends.
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