Race 2 Win: USG Durock 300 - Kevin Harvick Notes

NASCAR Busch Series

USG Durock 300 - Kevin Harvick Notes

Kevin Harvick
No. 21 U.S. Coast Guard Chevrolet
Event Preview Fact Sheet

Event/Date: USG Durock 300 – July 8, 2006
Venue: Chicagoland Speedway – Joliet, Ill.

NOTES:

This Week’s Race Car at Chicagoland Speedway … Kevin Harvick will pilot Chassis No. 026 from the Richard Childress Racing (RCR) stables. New for 2006, Chassis No. 026 made its debut at Lowe’s Motor Speedway in May, started fifth and finished eighth. He also raced it to a sixth-place finish at Kentucky earlier this season.

Stat Facts … In three Busch Series starts at Chicagoland Speedway, Harvick has posted one win (2005) and one top-five finish. The Bakersfield, Calif., native has led 58 laps and has an average starting position of 4.7.

150 and Counting … The USG Durock 300 will mark Harvick’s 150th-career NASCAR Busch Series start. Over the span, dating back to 2000, Harvick has recorded 20 wins, 13 poles, 74 top-five and 104 top-10 finishes. He also boasts just shy of $7 million in career earnings.

Cup Star … In just five NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series races at Chicagoland Speedway Harvick has two wins (2001 and 2002), two top-five and three top-10 finishes. Additionally, he has led 188 laps.

A Second Teammate … This weekend Harvick will have a second teammate during the NASCAR Busch Series race. He will have his regular teammate Clint Bowyer along with Jeff Burton who will drive the No. 29 Holiday Inn Chevy. Burton is scheduled to drive six more races in the No. 29 and one more race in the No. 21. Combined, the trio has tallied five wins, 19 top-five and 29 top-10 finishes during the 2006 season.

Points Leader … Harvick currently leads the NASCAR Busch Series drivers’ standings by 388 points over Carl Edwards. In addition, the No. 21 Coast Guard team leads the owners’ standings by 397 points over the No. 60 team owned by Jack Roush.

Double the Pleasure … In addition to his driving duties with the No. 21 Coast Guard Chevrolet at Chicago, Harvick, a six-time race winner in the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series, will drive the No. 29 GM Goodwrench Chevy on Sunday, July 9, in the USG Sheetrock 400 NASCAR Nextel Cup Series race. The race will be televised live on TNT beginning at 3 p.m. EDT and also broadcast live on the Motor Racing Network (MRN) and XM Satellite Radio. Harvick is currently ninth in the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series championship battle.

The U.S. Coast Guard … Every day, the Coast Guard saves 15 lives, assists 117 people in distress, protects $2.8 million in property, conducts 90 search and rescue cases, seizes $21 million worth of illegal drugs and responds to 11 oil and hazardous chemical spills.

Up to Speed … The USG Durock 300 at Chicagoland Speedway will be televised live Saturday, July 8 beginning at 4 p.m. EDT on TNT. The Motor Racing Network and XM Satellite Radio will also carry the race broadcast live. Qualifying for the 19th of 35 NASCAR Busch Series events will take the green flag at 12:30 p.m. EDT Saturday, July 8 live on SPEED.

KEVIN HARVICK QUOTES:
What’s unique about Chicagoland Speedway?
“Probably that you go through the corners pretty much wide open. You let off sooner than you do at most places, and you drive it all the way through the corners under power. That’s not extremely different from other tracks but there is a lot more throttle there than at most places. You get back in it (the gas) a lot quicker than you do at most places.”

You have had a lot of success in Chicago in the Cup and Busch cars. Do you think you’ve got it figured out better than anyone else?
“I think everybody has got the driving part figured out. Right now, it’s more about the little things, like shock package. Shocks are probably the biggest part of it. It’s really more about picking apart your racecar and coming up with that unique set-up. We had it the first two years in the Cup cars and last year in the Busch car. I think we are pretty close and should do pretty well.”

What do you and the Coast Guard team have to do this weekend to win?
“We really have to work on not shooting ourselves in the foot. The past couple of weekends we have made mistakes that could have caused us to lose our big points lead. Also, if I can keep the No. 21 Coast Guard Chevrolet near the front of the pack and my pit crew makes fast pit stops, you will see us in victory lane on Saturday.”

Chicagoland Speedway and Kansas Speedway look just alike but are they?
“They really are different. The race tracks, from the outside looking at them, look exactly the same. But, every track has its own unique characteristics and these two tracks have their own. From what I remember, there are now multiple grooves at Chicagoland so you can run a little bit higher. You don’t have to run right on the bottom of the track. But, in qualifying, the bottom is definitely the way to go.”