When James Hinchcliffe decided to enter the St. Petersburg NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race, he likely didn’t imagine it going the way that it ultimately did. Driving the #77 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet with the name ‘Jimmy Hinch’ above the driver’s door, the Canadian racer planned to take part in his first ever NASCAR race.
After starting third with minimal practice due to rain cancelling most on-track action on Friday night, he did well to remain inside the top ten in the early laps. However, the first truck to get into him during the race was none other than fellow former IndyCar star, Dario Franchitti.
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The two trucks slammed together, denting 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 running 11th, and he seemed to still have decent pace. However, he then vanished from the timing screen as he missed a corner and went off into the runoff area, free-falling through the field and ending Stage 2 in 22nd.
As he marched his way back inside the top 20, Hinchcliffe made contact with another truck and went for a wild spin. It seemed like the race was only going to get worse from there, but it actually got much better. Undeterred, Hinchcliffe began to march back through the field with fresh tires. And by the time the checkered flag flew, he had driven all the way up inside the top ten, finishing tenth and beating his teammate.
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“If I could start the race, knowing what I knew by Stage 3, it would be different. I learned so much out there about managing tires, traffic, and racing these guys out there. But hey, it was a great effort to come from the back twice and end up in the top ten.
“Just can’t thank Spire enough, and hopefully I get to do it again one day.”
That last line made it clear that Saturday’s race may not be it for ‘Jimmy Hinch’ in the NASCAR world. He’s already a six-time race winner and the 2016 Indianapolis 500 pole-sitter from 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 comes to an end.
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