SCENEDAILY
1:30PM ET SATURDAY JANUARY 19, 2008
BY SCENEDAILY STAFF REPORT

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. - Kevin Harvick has shifted his focus in the NASCAR Nationwide Series this season, driving for the team he owns instead of the Richard Childress Racing team he's been taking to victory lane for the past few seasons.

Harvick is focusing on building the Kevin Harvick Inc. team he owns with his wife, DeLana, into a formidable organization. He ramped up the team's Craftsman Truck Series effort last season, a move that resulted in a series championship. Can he put his Nationwide team on the same elite level?

He's certainly going to try. To that end, Harvick is focusing on the No. 33 that has visited victory lane with Tony Stewart in the past. Harvick himself will take over that car, with the No. 77 team limiting its schedule to six races - three with driver Cale Gale and three with Ron Hornaday, who won the truck title for KHI and will also be attempting a repeat bid in that series.

Other than that, the No. 77 will work as a research and development group to focus on the car of tomorrow that NASCAR appears to be heading towards in 2009.

Harvick, the 2006 series champion, seems to enjoy the challenge the new path presents.

"I think for us, obviously we kind of had to step back and take a little bit of a different approach with the [Nationwide] program this year," he said Friday during the opening day of Nationwide Series testing at Daytona International Speedway. "Just to unload and speed-wise, I think everybody's pretty happy with the way everybody unloaded.

"We pretty much started from scratch with all the cars and just kind of started over and I think everybody did a great job of putting it together and now we've got to see how they drive and take it from there. ... I'm looking forward to the challenge of running my own cars and just kind of creating a little bit different challenge from all aspects of it."

His team has aligned with RCR, where Harvick drives the No. 29 Sprint Cup entry, but Harvick says that mostly just means that he will be using engines from the Earnhardt Childress Racing Technologies group. With NASCAR apparently heading towards the new car, Harvick says that everyone is kind of waiting to see what develops there.

As to making the change to driving his own car after competing for RCR - a team he won six races with last season alone - Harvick says that the entire group has shifted its focus a bit.

"I think we approach this year a lot like we did the truck season going into last year," he said. "We basically started over. We bought all new downforce cars from the chassis up and just we did a lot more development work this year with the current cars. Last year when we unloaded we were dead last with these particular cars when we came to Daytona and tested and they were a second-and-a-half off. I feel like the drag numbers are better, I feel like the horsepower is better, I feel like the cars are more well prepared."

He credits that to focusing on one full-time team this season. He had sponsors that he could have put on the car and continued on his path. But when the Harvicks looked at the company and decided the direction they wanted to take it in the future, Harvick says it wasn't just having two cars because they could. He wants more.

"That's not really what our company is all about, it's to go out and be competitive week in and week out and win races and that's why I built it and that's the challenge that I needed in the Nationwide Series for myself," he said. "I've been so fortunate to run the [RCR] 21 and the 2 and be able to win a lot of races, but it just was time to do something different for myself to kind of meet that challenge, I guess."

__________________

To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
Ryan Newman, Daytona 500 Champion!!
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

__________________

To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
Ryan Newman, Daytona 500 Champion!!
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

By Official Release
January 31, 2008
07:52 PM EST

Perhaps it was the West Coast air or proximity to his hometown of Bakersfield, but Kevin Harvick was happy to go to work Thursday at California Speedway.

"I think everybody has figured out why everybody likes to live in California -- because of the weather [Thursday]," he said.

Sunshine and a calm atmosphere aside, the fit and feel of his car during the first session of a two-day Sprint Cup Series test at California also had Harvick -- the defending Daytona 500 champion whose nickname is "Happy" -- distributing verbal kudos.

Thursday's and Friday's California test (speeds) was preceded by a two-day session earlier in the week at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, all part of NASCAR Preseason Thunder -- NASCAR's annual January test sessions -- and all in preparation for the first full-time season of competition for NASCAR's new car.

With the snow-capped San Gabriel mountains overshadowing the backstretch and none of the wind that plagued drivers Monday in Las Vegas (speeds), Harvick said positive results from earlier in the week in Nevada seem to have crossed state borders.

Harvick was 13th-fastest during Thursday's morning session -- 180.180 mph (39.960 seconds) while Richard Childress Racing teammate Clint Bowyer was ninth-quickest at 180.537 mph (39.881 seconds)

"As we went to Las Vegas, I think everybody was surprised just how well the cars unloaded," Harvick said Thursday. "I think the most difficult thing we've experienced probably over the last few days is just the different mind-sets coming into the different styles of racetracks.

"Las Vegas is very wide open, lots of grip. Here you slide around and there's a lot of fall-off on the tires. So just trying to understand the difference from the setup that you're going to take from Las Vegas to here was a good experience for us."

This week's West Coast test is yielding research crucial to early season races. But regardless of data accumulated and lessons learned, Harvick says one reason for the new car's genesis should not be forgotten -- safety.

"You can get in and out of the cars no problem with your helmet on," he said. "You've got plenty of room. Your head's not resting against the window net. You don't have any problems getting the seats mounted in the cars.

"It has to be applauded just for the fact that the safety side of it is tremendously better just because the drivers are more comfortable in the cars, able to get in and out of them easier."

__________________

To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
Ryan Newman, Daytona 500 Champion!!
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

WoooooooHoooooooo I luv it

__________________
Just when I think you said the stupidest thing ever .....You keep talking
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.


To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.


To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

GM Racing Communications, Press Release

KEVIN HARVICK, NO. 29 SHELL-PENNZOIL IMPALA SS met with media at California Speedway during preseason testing and discussed the test, the new Impala SS, winning the '07 Daytona 500, the 50th running of the Daytona 500, and more. Transcript follows:

An interview with: KEVIN HARVICK THE MODERATOR: We are joined by Kevin Harvick.

Kevin, could you start off, give us an overview of how your morning has gone so far.

KEVIN HARVICK: It's gone really well. I think everybody in the garage is pleasantly surprised with how well the cars drive on the bigger racetracks. I think, as we've talked about before, I think as we are able to focus on one particular car, I think the cars, the handling, will get better and better.
So far everything has gone really good, no issues. Everything seems to be fine.

THE MODERATOR: We'll open it up to questions.

Q. Some of the races here haven't been the most exciting. When Kyle was here, he said he thinks the COT was made for a track like this. From what you've seen so far this morning, will the racing improve?

KEVIN HARVICK: I think as these type of cars -- as the tire run goes on, the cars seem to fall off a lot. That's going to require you to move around the racetrack. I think you're going to see a variety of grooves.
I agree with him on that. I think the racing is going to be better on these types of racetracks for sure because the speeds are a little bit slower and the fall-off is still going to be there.

Q. Of all the testing you've done so far, what is the most difficult about the car of today now to handle?

KEVIN HARVICK: I think as we went to Las Vegas, I think everybody was surprised just how well the cars unloaded. I think the most difficult thing we've experienced probably over the last few days is just the different mindsets coming into the different styles of racetracks.
Las Vegas is very wide-open, lots of grip. Here you slide around and there's a lot of fall-off on the tires. So just trying to understand the difference from the setup that you're going to take from Las Vegas to here was a good experience for us. But just the mindset just going into the two different types of racetracks.

Plus I think everybody has figured out why everybody likes to live in California: because the weather today. That's probably been the biggest obstacle for all of us over the past few days. It's been very cold and very windy in Las Vegas. It's nice to come here and get a little bit of sunshine.

Q. Is there anything about the Car of Tomorrow that has you longing for the old Cup cars as far as driving, performance, setup, anything in particular?

KEVIN HARVICK: I don't think so. I think everybody's focused on - we call them Impalas now. We don't know how we're going to get rid of that COT thing. We have to call them Impalas at some point.
I think everybody is pretty focused on just getting the cars to drive better and understanding the package as we go forward to really make strides on that. When you get in and out of these cars you understand the biggest reason that we did all this car swap stuff was for safety. You can get in and out of the cars no problem with your helmet on. You've got plenty of room. Your head's not resting against the window net. You don't have any problems getting the seats mounted in the cars.

It has to be applauded just for the fact that the safety side of it is tremendously better just because the drivers are more comfortable in the cars, able to get in and out of them easier.

I mean, obviously, it's a different beast, but I don't think anybody is worried about what we did in the past. We're all looking to go forward.

Q. Given that, with you being the defending champion of the Daytona 500, how is the complexion of that race going to be different in the Impala compared to the other ones? During testing, there weren't a lot of big-pack drafts going on that we could really ascertain what to expect in two weeks.

KEVIN HARVICK: Well, last year I was part of a three-car pack that was the breakaway pack for three fuel runs. I think if you're looking for a big pack racing at Daytona, it's probably not going to be there unless you have a caution.
There's going to be packs, but I don't think it's going to be much different. The cars didn't drive that bad. They haven't driven bad anywhere.

I think that the racetrack kind of dictates the type of racing that it is because it's a superspeedway, but it also is very rough and the asphalt's wore out. In the past, you know, we really haven't had those big packs at Daytona. We've had them at Talladega.

I think the handling comes into effect. I think that's what you have to concentrate on at Daytona. You're still going to have the packs. The way that the cars draft, there is more pushing and shoving than there probably has been at Daytona in the past. It's always been at Talladega.

The car, it's a lot easier to push the guy in front of you. You're going to be more dependent on who's behind you.

Q. Jeff and Jimmie last year did so well. Do a lot of you guys feel like you're trying to play catch-up with Hendrick?

KEVIN HARVICK: If you go back and look at the sport, we had this conversation this morning, there's always been teams that go through years of things that are going well. Right now they're definitely the team that we're all trying to catch up to and make things better.
They definitely kind of set the bar. I feel like at RCR we've made strides to close that gap. I feel pretty confident that we've done that. You just have to see where you fall when the green flag drops here in a couple weeks and go from there.

But I feel like concentrating on one program is going to help us as much as anything.

Q. You pretty much had this race won last year until your problems. Talk about what happened the last part of the race.

KEVIN HARVICK: You know, if you go back and look at it now, it kind of set the tone for the whole year. I think we had like nine or ten flat tires in races last year. We just ran over a piece of debris under the caution.
I think with four or five laps to go, I felt like we were going to win the race, carry that momentum into the next week. The momentum from the week before stalled. It kind of set the tone for the whole year.

We always seem to run really well here in the first race of the year. We're hoping to do that. We unloaded well today. Just see where it all falls when we come back

Q. What type of racing do you think we'll see when we come back here?

KEVIN HARVICK: I think you're going to see a lot of people moving around. I think this car, even at Las Vegas last week, you could move around and make time. You're just going to see a lot of different grooves develop as the race goes on. The high groove will come in at some point, as it has in the past.
There's still going to be that little bit of an element of surprise as we get into the races of things that you didn't run across at the test. But the only way you can do that is to put all 43 of them out there and drop the flag.

Q. Back to Daytona. Do you think we'll see side-by-side racing there?

KEVIN HARVICK: Yeah, I mean the cars, they're very easy to drive side by side. I mean, the roughness of the racetrack is the only thing that makes them move around. At Talladega these things were like driving a Cadillac.
Still, like I just said, it's hard to simulate how the racing is actually going to be until you put all 43 cars out there and everybody starts pushing and shoving to get the lines going. But side-by-side doesn't seem to be a big issue with these cars so far.

Q. A question about your truck team. When you started KHI, did you of imagine you'd have the two best drivers in series history driving under your name? What are your expectations for this season?

KEVIN HARVICK: The expectations are to contend for the championship. Obviously there's a lot of teams that can do that, but it's pretty neat to have Jack (Sprague) and Ron (Hornaday) both on the same team. I think a lot of people thought that might not ever happen 10 years ago.
Coming up through the Truck Series and being able to race against those guys when I first started, it's pretty neat now to have them driving our stuff.

The expectations are to go out and do the same thing they did last year and hopefully the 2 truck comes along fast. There will be some bumps in the road for that team as we get it started up. Hopefully we can adjust and keep them both in contention.

Q. You're well accustomed to new seasons. What excites you most now as you look at a long schedule?

KEVIN HARVICK: Well, I don't know that -- I'm kind of a week-to-week guy. I like to look to things as they come up during the week. We're pretty well I guess managed as far as schedule-wise. You know, you're kind of dictated of where you go and when you go. You try to put everything else in between.
I think the greatest thing about our sport is you start the season and everybody has high expectations. Some people have new sponsors. You have new uniforms, new cars. Everything is new and the optimism is high.

That's what makes the first week of the Daytona 500 so great, is everybody has a chance at the championship. Everybody is rejuvenated and refreshed from the year before. That's why it's the Super Bowl of our sport.

You can't have every team in the NFL hyped and excited that they can win the Super Bowl when the Super Bowl only has two teams in it. Our sport is unique in the fact that our first race is the Daytona 500 and everybody has a chance of winning the championship. Your biggest race on the first week. There's a lot of hype. That's what I look forward to getting it all started off.

Q. I believe Texas is going to be the first track that you get to where you haven't had either a race experience or a test in the COT. Is that going to be particularly challenging to get ready for that race?

KEVIN HARVICK: Not really. We had the No. 07 (Clint Bowyer) do the tire test there a couple weeks ago. Maybe we'll be on the fortunate side of that.
I think Las Vegas put a lot of questions behind everybody as far as how the cars were going to react on those types of racetracks. The cars drove really good at Texas with the 07 and the 42, and I can't remember who the other car was. All those cars drove well there, too.

Q. Do you feel more prepared for the Daytona blitz? How did that affect you all last year, or did it change?

KEVIN HARVICK: Well, I think the biggest thing it changed, you always hear people talk about the magnitude of winning the Daytona 500 and how it's the biggest race in our sport. I don't think you can really understand that until you get to experience that firsthand.
The week after the race was pretty crazy. That's all anybody ever really wants to talk about is the Daytona 500.


We've been fortunate to win a lot of the big races in our sport. That one takes the cake by a long ways. I think to be able to experience that and be a part of that, put your name next to those guys that have won the 500 before, is pretty special.

I don't think it affects anything during the year. I think that stuff's all going to happen how it's going to happen.

Q. Five years ago did you ever think you'd be in a spot where you could contend for the truck championship as an owner, Nationwide and Cup?

KEVIN HARVICK: I've been fortunate to have progressed a fair amount as the years have gone by. On the ownership side of it, I never really had any intentions of doing that. As we got the opportunity to put the financial backing behind the truck team, start that up, really experience that as an owner/driver, I guess that was neat.
To have Hornaday win the championship last year was pretty special. To have that personal side of it, be a part of that championship, was neat for me, really made it all make sense.

He's been the backbone of our team. He helped build it into what it is today. To be able to compete competitively in both series is something that a lot of people spend a lot of time and don't get to do that. We've been fortunate to have good drivers and good people in place.

So, yeah, five years ago it would have been hard to imagine we would have been competitive in all threes of those series. I don't really have any aspirations to do it on the Cup side. I leave that to Richard. As long as we're competitive week in and week out in all the series, that's all you can ask for really.

Q. With the rules being so strict at Daytona on the Car of Tomorrow, or Impala, what are some of the changes you can make between that track and here at California for testing?

KEVIN HARVICK: The cars, they're still a little bit different. You can still tweak on them thousandths of an inch here and there. But setup-wise, they're substantially different from there to here. You're doing all you can for speed at Daytona, a little bit of handling.
Here it's all about handling, making max downforce, everything you can on the car. It's quite a bit different from one track to the other still. Still have different cars that you race there than you do here.

Q. You brought the same cars from Vegas that you brought here. How interchangeable has that been, and how have you adjusted from Vegas to here?

KEVIN HARVICK: Before you could still race the same cars from Martinsville to Las Vegas. You can still do that. Setup-wise, it's a little bit different package than what we had at Las Vegas here. I think it's going to be the same kind of thing. You can race the cars here. You can race them here. You can race them at Bristol.
I think that's one thing that all the cars in the shop aren't going to be different. But you're still going to have your road race cars; you're still going to have your Speedway cars.

In fact, one of the particular cars we have here is the center section from one of our road course cars last year with a different front clip and rear clip on it. I mean, you can change the cars up a little bit.

THE MODERATOR: Thanks a lot for coming in, Kevin.

KEVIN HARVICK: No problem.


This Press Release and any images that are used,
are used with permission. Do not duplicate or
redistribute in any form without permission or credit

__________________

To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
Ryan Newman, Daytona 500 Champion!!
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

Richard Childress Racing, Press Release

NOTES:

· This Week’s Race Car at Daytona International Speedway …

Kevin Harvick will pilot Chassis No. 219 from the Richard Childress Racing (RCR) stable. This is a new Shell-Pennzoil Chevrolet Impala SS.

· Stat Facts …

In 13 Cup starts at Daytona International Speedway (DIS), Harvick has posted one win (2007 Daytona 500), one pole, three top-five and five top-10 finishes. Additionally, Harvick has led 88 laps of competition and has completed 96.9 % of all laps contested.

· The Fast Way Around …

Harvick captured his only Daytona pole at the 2002 Pepsi 400. He posted a fast lap of 48.638 seconds (185.041 mph).

· RCR Rocks Daytona …

Dating back to 1986, RCR has won seven poles and owns 23 total victories at DIS, including Harvick’s dramatic win in the 2007 season-opening Daytona 500. Additionally, RCR won 10 straight (1990-1999) Twin 125s with Dale Earnhardt. All totaled, RCR has won five Bud Shootouts, 13 Twin 125 qualifying races, two Pepsi 400s and two Daytona 500s. Dale Earnhardt Jr. also won the February 2002 NASCAR Nationwide Series race at Daytona driving a car fielded by RCR and Harvick won the 2007 Nationwide Series opener at DIS in the No. 21 Chevrolet.

· On Stage …

Fans can see Harvick live Saturday, Feb. 9 at 7:45 p.m. on the Chevy Stage, located in the merchandise area outside turn four at DIS. Harvick will be part of a question and answer session hosted by Chevrolet.

· Grinding out the Preseason …

During January, Harvick and both of his race teams – the No. 29 Shell-Pennzoil Cup team and the No. 33 Kevin Harvick Incorporated Nationwide team – ground out a rigorous testing schedule. From Jan. 14-16 Harvick and the Shell-Pennzoil team tested at DIS and one day later, he was back for the Nationwide Series test with the No. 33 Camping World Chevrolet. The No. 29 team spent Jan. 28-29 testing at Las Vegas Motor Speedway and then Harvick returned to Vegas the next day for Nationwide Series testing. The No. 29 Shell-Pennzoil team rounded out the preseason testing schedule Jan. 30-31 with two days of hot laps at California Speedway.

· Restrictor Plate Success …

Harvick has competed in 27 NASCAR Cup Series races on restrictor plate tracks (Daytona and Talladega), completing 98 percent of the laps. He has also collected one win (2007 Daytona 500), two poles, six top-five and 12 top-10 finishes. Additionally, “Happy” has led 143 laps and has only recorded one did not finish (DNF).

· Double Dippin’ …

In addition to his driving duties with the No. 29 Shell-Pennzoil Chevrolet at Daytona, Harvick, a 32-time race winner in the NASCAR Nationwide Series, will drive the No. 33 Camping World Chevrolet for Kevin Harvick Incorporated on Saturday, Feb. 16 in the Camping World 300 presented by Chevrolet. The race will be televised live on ESPN 2 and will also broadcast live on the Motor Racing Network (MRN) and Sirius Satellite Radio beginning at 1:15 p.m. Eastern Standard Time (EST).

· Catch the Action …

The Daytona 500 will be televised live Sunday, Feb. 17 beginning at 3:15 pm. EST on FOX and broadcast live on MRN and Sirius Satellite Radio. The Gatorade Duel at Daytona, 150-mile qualifying races, will take the green flag Thursday, Feb. 14 at 2 p.m. EST and will be broadcast live on SPEED, MRN and Sirius. Qualifying for the Daytona 500 will air live on FOX, MRN and Sirius on Sunday, Feb. 11 beginning at 1:15 p.m. EST.

KEVIN HARVICK QUOTES:

Was winning the Daytona 500 one of the most rewarding wins in your career?

“I think winning the Daytona 500 was the biggest moment in my career so far. Just to win the Daytona 500 last year was something I don’t think I realized the magnitude of. We’ve been fortunate to win a few of the big races – I always thought winning the Brickyard was a bigger deal. I was wrong. Everywhere you go, that’s all anybody wants to talk about – winning the Daytona 500. This one race can carry you for a long time.”

Being the defending winner of the Daytona 500, NASCAR’s biggest race, would it make a difference to you both as a driver and as a fan whether this race was at the beginning of the year or the end of the year?

“I prefer our super bowl to be at the beginning of the season. Our sport is a little different from most – our championship game doesn’t come down to two teams. With all the different teams, I don’t think there’s any other way you can build any more hype around our sport. I don’t think that you could put the Daytona 500 race last and have the same prestige and hype that come with Daytona.”

Given that, with you being the defending champion of the Daytona 500, how is the complexion of that race going to be different in the Impala compared to the other ones?

“Well, last year I was part of a three-car pack that was the breakaway pack for three fuel runs. I think if you’re looking for big-pack racing at Daytona, it’s probably not going to be there unless you have a caution. There’s going to be packs, but I don’t think it’s going to be much different from last year. In the past, we really haven’t had those big packs at Daytona. We’ve had them at Talladega.”

What is the biggest thing you have learned from being an owner?

“The biggest thing I’ve learned is that you can’t jump to conclusions right off the bat. You have to take a lot of information from a lot of different people. In the beginning, owning the race team, I would just jump to conclusions, whether it was changing this person, changing that person. Change is good, but it has to be at the right time. I think it’s helped me understand and helped me communicate with Richard (Childress), and realize just how important the people are. The people around you are what make it go. Everybody in the garage can buy that right parts and pieces, and it’s all about the detail work after all that.”

This Press Release and any images that are used,
are used with permission. Do not duplicate or
redistribute in any form without permission or credit.

__________________

To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
Ryan Newman, Daytona 500 Champion!!
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

Richard Childress Racing, Press Release

Race/Date: Daytona 500/February 17, 2008
Location: Daytona International Speedway – Daytona Beach, Fla.
Start Position: 16th
Finish Position: 14th
Points Position: 14th

Kevin Harvick had a race car that was not to his liking for the majority of the 50th running of the Daytona 500 but perseverance by the entire Shell-Pennzoil team paid off with a 14th-place finish at Daytona International Speedway.

The Bakersfield, Calif., driver started the event 16th, by virtue of his seventh-place run in Thursday’s Gatorade Duel 150 qualifying race and appeared to be in position for a hardy top-10 until a sluggish running race car kept him from battling with the leaders.

At the drop of the green flag, Harvick quickly realized something wasn’t up to par on his bright yellow and red machine and he dropped back to 30th by lap 14. Hoping the No. 29 Shell-Pennzoil Chevrolet could be fixed on the first pit stop, Harvick stayed with the back of the draft and waited for the chance to hit pit road.

On lap 35, green-flag pit stops began and Harvick worked his way up to the 13th position before crew chief Todd Berrier summoned him to pit road two laps later. Deciding to add tape to the grill of the No. 29 Chevy to increase water and oil temperature to get optimal horsepower, the Berrier-led crew changed four tires and added fuel before sending Harvick on his way. The 2007 Daytona 500 winner was back on the race track in the 24th spot.

Another round of green-flag stops began on lap 71 and Harvick made the hard left turn down pit road on lap 75 for fuel and four fresh Goodyear tires. As the field concluded green-flag stops on lap 77, Harvick held the 21st spot.

The first caution flag finally flew on lap 79 and it gave the No. 29 team a chance to fix the sluggish running machine. Berrier summoned his driver back to pit road for four fresh tires, fuel and put tape on a hole in the right-rear wheel well. The green flag waved again on lap 84 with Harvick running in the 33rd position.

The Shell-Pennzoil machine came to life and Harvick began slicing and dicing his way through the field. He was 28th by lap 89, 22nd on lap 93 and 20th when the field crossed the start/finish line on lap 100.

Another long green-flag run resulted in green-flag pit stops beginning on lap 118 of the 200-lap event. With Harvick still struggling, Berrier called his veteran driver to pit road on lap 121 for four tires, fuel and an air pressure adjustment. Once the field cycled through the green-flag stops, Harvick was listed in the 15th spot.

Debris on lap 150 brought out the day’s second caution period. Berrier summoned Harvick to pit road two laps later for four fresh tires and fuel. Harvick went back to racing in the 14th spot on lap 154.

Continuing to suffer from a race car that seemed to be down on horsepower, Harvick continued to race in the top 15. The third caution flag flew on lap 161 for a two-car incident exiting turn four. Harvick hit pit road for right-side tires and fuel. With some of the field taking four tires, the 2006 NASCAR Nationwide Series Champion restarted the race in the 10th spot on lap 165.


Four more caution flags plagued the final 35 laps of the golden anniversary of the “Great American Race.” Fortunately, Harvick was able to stay out of trouble and crossed the finish line 14th.

Ryan Newman won the prestigious event followed by Kurt Busch, Tony Stewart, Kyle Busch and Reed Sorenson.

Harvick’s Richard Childress Racing teammates Jeff Burton and Clint Bowyer finished 13th and 24th, respectively.

Next week the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series travels to the Golden State for the first of two trips on the 2008 schedule at California Speedway. The Auto Club 500 will be televised live on FOX next Sunday beginning at 3:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time (EST) and can be heard live on the Motor Racing Network (MRN) and Sirius Satellite Radio. Qualifying for the second race of the year will be televised on SPEED Friday, February 22 beginning at 6:40 p.m. EST. KEVIN HARVICK - NO. 29 SHELL CHEVROLET IMPALA SS – “Our Shell-Pennzoil Chevrolet was just a little off today. However, my team worked really hard all day to make it better. A 14th-place finish wasn’t our goal but we will take it and turn our focus to California.”


This Press Release and any images that are used,
are used with permission. Do not duplicate or
redistribute in any form without permission or credit.

__________________

To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
Ryan Newman, Daytona 500 Champion!!
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

Again another interesting read, thanks!! I was a little dissapointed with Harvick's finish, being a Harvick fan and the fact he'd run pritty well in testing I felt he would possible be capable of a top 10 or even top 5 finish! On the other hand after hearing of all the problems he faced during the race then 14th dosen't seem to be bad, and hoepfully he'll be able to rebound next week.

__________________
If You Wont Stand Behind OUR TROOPS please feel free to stand in front of them


To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.


The JACK CREW!!!

hey flash why don't you apply for the car chief job at rcr! ya make me wonder ya couldn't do the job better than the guy who has it now!

__________________
Rome did not create a Great Empire by having meetings--- They did it by killing all people who opposed them!