KEVIN HARVICK
Loving Las Vegas
HUNTERSVILLE, N.C. (February 25, 2003) - Anytime the NASCAR Winston Cup
Series circuit heads to the West Coast, GM Goodwrench driver Kevin Harvick
gets excited. You see, the Bakersfield, Calif., native grew up racing out
west and enjoys all it has to offer - beautiful beaches, vast mountains,
perfect weather, and the Pacific Ocean.
Now, tell Harvick that the next race on the 2003 schedule is in Las Vegas,
Nev., and the 27-year old can't wait to hop on a plane. Happy thoughts ring
true in the mind of the 2001 NASCAR Winston Cup Rookie-of-the-Year when
someone mentions Sin City. Not only is it a place he spent a lot of time
racing, but it also holds some special moments in his life as well.
Most important, his marriage to DeLana Linville on February 28, 2001.
Although the two did not get much of a honeymoon, Harvick did get to
celebrate his first Winston Cup Series top-10 finish (eighth) two days after
they exchanged wedding vows. Growing up, Harvick spent a lot of time at Las
Vegas Motor Speedway running in NASCAR's Winston West Series. He vividly
remembers capturing his first win in only his second start in the desert.
Harvick hopes to continue his streak of happy moments in Las Vegas with a
strong run at the 1.5-mile D-shaped oval. A successful test session in the
Busch car early in the year has given him a boost of confidence, and he
looks to utilize that throughout the race weekend.
No. 29 GM Goodwrench driver Kevin Harvick on Las Vegas...
What do you love about Las Vegas?
"There's so much going on in Las Vegas that the place just creates a cool
atmosphere. You've got the casinos, the night life, and of course, the
racing. It's one of those places where everybody that I grew up with in
racing shows up to watch me race."
What's your fondest memory?
"Vegas is always going to be special to me because it's where DeLana and I
got married. We get to celebrate our anniversary out there every year. I
also have some fond memories of the racetrack. That's where I won my first
Winston West race. We always seem to run well there, and I'm looking
forward to going back."
Do you remember how you did in your very first race there?
"My very first race there was in the Winston West Series in 1998 and I think
I finished eighth or ninth. It was the year all the Winston Cup guys ran
that race, so I was pretty happy."
How will the Busch test help the Winston Cup effort?
"We had a great test there in the Busch car. Hopefully, we can take a lot
of the stuff that we had on the Busch car and put it on the Winston Cup car
and it will work. If it doesn't, then we are going to be behind a little
bit. The main thing is that hopefully the shocks and things like that will
work for both cars."
Do you enjoy the mile-and-a-half racetracks?
"We always seem to run really good on them. The groove has spread out so
much at this place over the years that it's fun to run there. You can race
side by side. You can pass. It's wide enough you can race all the way
around."
How's the track layout?
"It's really smooth. There's only one bump coming off of turn four. Other
than that, all the transitions and everything are very smooth. You don't
have a whole lot of a sensation of speed because the racetrack is so smooth.
It's a pretty fast racetrack. The only bad thing that happens is that when
the sun gets down low, you can't see off of turn four."
Do you plan on doing anything fun while in town?
"We have a whole week of fun things planned. We'll probably head to the
Grand Canyon for a day if it doesn't rain. If it does rain, we'll just stay
in the room. We'll probably go see a couple shows while we're there. I'm
going to teach DeLana how to gamble. It's going to be a lot of fun."
No. 29 GM Goodwrench crew chief Gil Martin on Las Vegas...
How would you describe Las Vegas Motor Speedway?
"It's an intermediate racetrack, but without the heavy banking like
Charlotte. You have to find a happy medium for the car's set-up. Soft
shocks in the front are usually the best, so the car will turn good through
the corners. The track surface is very smooth. The more motor you have the
better. Finding a good balance, from the front to rear is very important.
The track is a lot like Kansas City or Chicago. Harvick likes those kind of
tracks, so we should be pretty good."
What do you rely on most from Kevin during race weekends?
"Communication is the key throughout the race weekend. His feedback on what
he needs the racecar to do helps us figure out what we need to do in the
garage. Unfortunately, with the new Chevrolet Monte Carlo, we're dealing
with a new racecar and trying to find the right balance. We're also still
learning what Kevin does and doesn't like. It will take a few weeks, but
once we find a basic package or starting point, it won't be as hard the next
time."
Points of Interest...
* Team GM Goodwrench will take chassis No.88 to Sin City for this
weekend's 400-mile event. This chassis was used frequently last season, and
gave Harvick his only win at Chicagoland Speedway. It was last run at
Homestead-Miami Speedway in November.
* Harvick will participate in the Busch race on Saturday in the No. 21
PayDay Chevrolet Monte Carlo for RCR. His best start at Las Vegas in the
Busch car was 12th on March 4, 2000, and his best finish was 12th on March
3, 2001.
* Start time for Sunday's Las Vegas 400 is scheduled for 3:00 p.m. ET.
TV coverage of the race on FOX starts at 2:30 p.m., with radio coverage on
PRN beginning at 2:30 p.m. Remember times and dates of the race may change,
so check your local listings.
