Kevin Harvick
No. 21 U.S. Coast Guard Chevrolet
Event Preview Fact Sheet
Event/Date: Sharpie Mini 300 – March 25, 2006
Venue: Bristol Motor Speedway – Bristol, Tenn.
NOTES:
This Week’s Race Car at Bristol Motor Speedway … Kevin Harvick will race chassis No. 028 from the Richard Childress Racing (RCR) stable. This is the same No. 21 Chevrolet Harvick raced to a win last spring at Bristol Motor Speedway.
Stat Facts … In 22 Busch Series starts at Bristol, Harvick has posted four wins, two poles, eight top-five and nine top-10 finishes.
Rise and Shine … Harvick will participate in NEXTEL’S Wake-Up Call Friday, March 24 at 10:30 a.m. Eastern Standard Time (EST) at Bristol’s infield media center.
Past Race Winner … Harvick is a four-time Busch Series winner at Bristol. He completed the “Bristol Sweep”- winning both the Busch Series race and the NEXTEL Cup Series race on the same weekend last March. Harvick also won from the pole August 25, 2000 after leading 241 of 250 laps.
Good Run for the Coast Guard … Last weekend at Atlanta Motor Speedway, Jeff Burton and the Coast Guard Racing Team notched their first win of the 2006 season. The No. 21 Coast Guard Chevy has also accumulated four top-five finishes.
Climbing the Ladder … Based on Burton’s win at Atlanta, the No. 21 Coast Guard team climbed from third to first in the NASCAR Busch Series owners’ championship point standings. In five races, the No. 21 Coast Guard team has posted a 8.2 finishing average.
The U.S Coast Guard … Did you know that the Coast Guard seized over 338,000 pounds of cocaine last year? This year, the Coast Guard is already on pace to seize even greater amounts, as over 127,000 pounds of cocaine have already been confiscated.
Up to Speed … The Sharpie Mini 300 at Bristol Motor Speedway will be televised live Saturday, March 25 beginning at 3:00 p.m. EST on FOX. The Performance Racing Network (PRN) will also carry the race broadcast live. Qualifying for the Sharpie Mini 300 will air live on SPEED Saturday, March 25 beginning at noon EST.
KEVIN HARVICK QUOTES:
Why are you successful at Bristol?
“I grew up on a half-mile, high-banked racetrack. I know Bristol is a lot more banked, but it’s kind of the same mindset for me driving around the track. It’s very fast, high-banked concrete track. It’s short-track beating and banging and it’s a lot of fun. I seem to have a lot of success every time I go, so I’m always excited to go back.”
How is the concrete surface different from the typical pavement?
“When you are out on the racetrack, it’s almost like you are riding your bicycle on the sidewalk with the bumps so constant. It usually takes a toll on the body when you have to sit through that for 300-500 laps. It wears you out. Physically, it’s like running 300 qualifying laps, which is hard to do because you have to be up on the wheel the whole time. That’s probably the biggest factor, having to concentrate for so long and not lose focus.”
You’re leading the points and you have driven for two different teams this season with similar success. How are you staying so consistent?
"I think I have to contribute a lot of my early success to my teams. Those guys work hard week-in and week-out to make sure the cars are ready. I think their hard work and dedication has really paid off."
Do you think there is a benefit in being an owner and driver in the NASCAR Busch Series?
"I don't think I would say that I benefit from owning and driving a car in the NASCAR Busch Series. However, I would say it is a privilege. I mean it is so exciting to be able to drive a car that I own, and see first-hand what we're (KHI) putting on the track each week. It is also really cool to drive the No. 21 car that is competitive every week."
