BRISTOL, Tenn. – It was a simple question asked the day before the Sprint Cup race at Bristol Motor Speedway that started a debate: “Who won the last race here?”

The answer: “I don’t know, but Tony Stewart threw his helmet at Matt Kenseth.”

The fact that Denny Hamlin’s victory last August was obscured by Stewart’s burst of anger proved once again that drama almost always overshadows the actual racing. Especially at Bristol, where fans have come to expect a temper tantrum or two during every visit to the tight Tennessee bullring.