Stewart welcomes softer bumpers

Stewart advocated such a technical change for the restrictor plate tracks after February's Budweiser shoot-out, where he claimed that the practice of bump drafting - literally bumping the car in front to advance both car's track position - was turning into 'slam' drafting and that someone could be killed.

NASCAR reacted and introduced front bumpers structured from smaller diameter steel tubing, thereby making them softer and potentially giving any car that hit a car too hard an aerodynamic disadvantage. It could also block and damage their radiator.

"I didn't get hit, nor did I hit anybody near as hard as what we were doing at Daytona," said Stewart, who finished second behind Jimmie Johnson.

"I spent most of my time in the back riding around in clean air and letting everybody get aggressive up there. I don't think it was near as bad as it's been here in the past. It definitely made for a lot more enjoyable race for us."

Johnson concurred that the new bumper had reduced bump drafting but warned they may still be too strong to prevent the practice returning to previous levels.

"The one thing I can't say is that at the end of the race the bump drafting picked up and looking at my bumper and knowing the bump drafting I was doing, the bumper wasn't damaged," Johnson said.

"I'm not sure that with the knowledge we have if we'd be the same at the next race. We might have to soften them up another step. I think the race, because of the extra cautions from the drivers on the racetrack, really led to a good, safe race.

"I didn't see what caused any of the wrecks. Up front there were some situations where in the past the bump draft would get somebody out of control and people kept from doing that and if they did they'd just give them a little push or shove and really wouldn't slam them."