Race 2 Win: Ford 300 - Kevin Harvick Notes

NASCAR Busch Series

Ford 300 - Kevin Harvick Notes

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

Event/Date: Ford 300 – November 18, 2006
Venue: Homestead-Miami Speedway – Homestead, Fla

NOTES:

This Week’s Race Car at Homestead-Miami Speedway … Kevin Harvick will pilot Chassis No. 062, a new race car from the Richard Childress Racing (RCR) stable.

Stat Facts, Former Winner … In five Busch Series starts at Homestead, Harvick has posted one win, two top-five and three top-10 finishes. Additionally, the Bakersfield, Calif., native has led 236 of 1,003 laps he has attempted at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

Special Guest … Admiral Thad W. Allen, Commandant as the U.S. Coast Guard will be a special guest of RCR and Harvick. Admiral Allen assumed the duties of the 23rd Commandant of the U.S. Coast Guard on May 25, 2006. He is a native of Tucson, Ariz. and graduated from the U.S. Coast Guard Academy in 1971. Previously, he served as the Coast Guard Chief of Staff and Commanding Officer from May 2002 - April 2006.

Over the Hill … The 26-time NASCAR Busch Series winner gained 170 points last weekend at Phoenix International Raceway to bring his season-to-date points total to 5,493. This point total surpasses Sam Ard’s single-season points total of 5,454 set in 1983.

Steak Continues … Harvick’s second-place finish at Phoenix last weekend extended his steak of consecutive top-10 finishes to 17. During this period he has earned six wins and 14 top-five finishes.

A Season of a Lifetime … Combining his NASCAR Busch Series and NEXTEL Cup Series statistics this season, Harvick has earned 14 wins, one pole, 37 top-five and 50 top-10 finishes. He is currently fourth in the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup point standings, 90 points behind the leader. On October 13 at Lowe’s Motor Speedway he clinched his second NASCAR Busch Series championship and on October 28 at Memphis he clinched RCR’s third NASCAR Busch Series Owners’ championship.

Chasing History … If “Happy” can pull off a win this weekend at Homestead-Miami Speedway, he can tie Ard’s single-season win record of 10 set in 1983.

Media Opportunity … Harvick will be available in the media center to field questions Friday, November 17 at 9:30 a.m.

Up to Speed … The Ford 300 at Homestead-Miami Speedway will be televised live Saturday, November 18 beginning at 7 p.m. Eastern Standard Time (EST) on TNT. The Motor Racing Network and XM Satellite Radio will also carry the race broadcast live. Qualifying for the Ford 300 will take the green flag Saturday, November 18 beginning at 3:40 p.m. EST.

KEVIN HARVICK QUOTES:
You still have a chance to win both championships. What would it mean to you if you could accomplish such a historical feat?
“We set goals at the beginning of the year, and our goals were to race for both championships and put ourselves in contention to do that towards the end of the year. Obviously, the Busch year has been something that we might never get a chance to do again. However, to be able to accomplish both of those goals, knowing where we were last year at RCR would be amazing. We have made some really big strides at RCR this year and I think we are all just head over heels about our accomplishments so far this year. To have that opportunity to achieve those goals that we set as high as we could is something that we’re all really proud of.”

Why is Homestead-Miami Speedway one of you favorite tracks?
“Miami is one of those race tracks that you don’t know when it is going to stop aging. Every time we go there it loses a little grip, which is a good thing. Miami is one of my favorite race tracks since they repaved it. Just for the fact that you can move around and it is kind of hard to get a hold of. There are a lot of different places where you can make your car work. For me it has been a lot of fun to race.”

How much has the Busch organization contributed to the turn around at RCR?
“Our Busch teams have always been good at RCR year after year. Obviously, this year they are exceptional. I think when the Cup cars got better, the Busch cars got even better. As we went through Saturdays and things were going good, that momentum carries over to Sunday a little bit. However, I really think that the Cup cars getting better made the Busch cars that much better, because a lot of things we do bleed down to the Busch cars. They have put a tremendous effort into the engine program. The engines have gotten better, the cars have gotten better, and everything has gotten better. “