Race 2 Win: NEXTEL Cup Series Race Notes

Nextel Cup Series

Sharp Aquos 500 - Kevin Harvick Notes

Kevin Harvick
No. 29 Shell-Pennzoil Chevrolet
Event Preview Fact Sheet

Event/Date: Sharp AQUOS 500– September 2, 2007
Venue: California Speedway – Fontana, Calif.

NOTES:

This Week’s Race Car at California Speedway … Kevin Harvick will pilot Chassis No. 174 from the Richard Childress Racing (RCR) stable. Built new in 2006, this is the same car Harvick battled with Matt Kenseth for the win at California Speedway this past February before a flat tire forced him to make an unscheduled pit stop and finish 17th. This chassis also saw action this year at Texas Motor Speedway (St. 11, Fn. 29) and in August at Michigan International Speedway (St. 28, Fn. 15). Additionally, this car saw action last year at Indianapolis Motor Speedway (St. 10, Fn. 3) and Lowe’s Motor Speedway in October (St. 5, Fn. 18).

Stat Facts … In 10 starts at California, Harvick has earned two top-10 finishes and has led 31laps of competition.

Back in Yellow and Red … After showcasing the Pennzoil Platinum paint scheme last weekend during the Sharpie 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway, the No. 29 Chevy will return to its traditional bright yellow and red Shell-Pennzoil scheme this weekend during the Sharp AQUOS 500 at California Speedway.

Two to Go … The 11-time race winner currently sits 10th in the championship point standings with two races remaining in NASCAR’s “Race to the Chase.” The 12 Chase contenders will be determined once the checkered flag waves at Richmond International Raceway on Saturday, September 8. Over the same two races last season, Harvick had an average starting position of 8.5 coupled with an average finishing position of eighth.

Homecoming … There are seven NASCAR NEXTEL Cup drivers that hail from the state of California (AJ Allmendinger, David Gilliland, Jeff Gordon, Robby Gordon, Harvick, Jimmie Johnson and Casey Mears, who is also from Harvick’s hometown of Bakersfield). This is more than any other state. Virginia and North Carolina are tied for second with five drivers each.

“A Night with Kevin Harvick” … Prior to the start of this weekend’s festivities at California Speedway, Harvick will return home to Bakersfield, Calif., on Thursday, August 30 to attend the fundraiser “A Night with Kevin Harvick,” at Buck Owens’ Crystal Palace. The fundraiser will benefit the Kern County High School Racing Series. The inaugural event will include a silent auction with items from Harvick and several of his fellow NASCAR drivers, dinner, a program featuring Harvick, Mayor Harvey Hall, and other distinguished guests. The event will end with live music and dancing. For more information, contact the Buck Owens’ Crystal Palace at 661-328-7560.

Testing One, Two, Three, Testing … The No. 29 Shell-Pennzoil team participated in a Goodyear tire test at Atlanta Motor Speedway on Tuesday and Wednesday of this week. Harvick, along with Mears, Robby Gordon, Kasey Kahne and Jeremy Mayfield participated in this two-day test.

Meet the Driver … Harvick will appear at the Bakersfield Camping World store Thursday, August 30 from 1:10 – 3:00 p.m. One autograph per person will be available to the first 300 people in line. The store is located at 6801 Colony Drive, Bakersfield, Calif.

Double Down in Cali … In addition to his driving duties with the No. 29 Shell-Pennzoil Chevrolet, Harvick, a 31-time race winner in the NASCAR Busch Series, will driver Kevin Harvick Incorporated’s No. 33 Roadloans.com Chevrolet in the September 1 Camping World 300. The race will air live on ESPN 2 beginning at 9:30 Eastern Daylight Time (EDT). The race will also be broadcast live on the Motor Racing Network (MRN) and Sirius Satellite Radio. Qualifying for the 27th of 35 races on the 2007 Busch Series calendar will air on tapped delay on SPEED Friday, August 31, beginning at 11 p.m. EDT.

Up to Speed … The Sharp AQUOS 500 from California Speedway will take the green flag Sunday, September 2 at 8 p.m. EDT and will be telecast live on ESPN. The event will also be broadcast live on MRN and Sirius Satellite Radio. Qualifying for the 25th of 36 points-paying races on the 2007 NASCAR NEXTEL Series tour will air live on SPEED, MRN and Sirius Satellite Radio Friday, August 31 at 6 p.m. EDT.

KEVIN HARVICK QUOTES:
Why do you seem to struggle at California?
“I don’t know. It just seems like it’s hit-and-miss. California and Atlanta have become our worst track for some reason. Just one of those places where I can’t seem to get the car like I need it to. I just struggle finding the right feel for me to feel comfortable. It is just something that I need to get better at and really focus on getting my car right and know how I need it to drive in practice to focus on the race.”

How do you treat racing in Fontana near family and friends?
“It is nice to go out there but I don’t treat it as time to get to see my family and friends. I treat it as a job and go out like everybody else. We get there the day before everything starts on track, so I don’t spend a lot of time with them. It is cool to have them all there and obviously we are supported well there, but we still have to go out and make it happen.”

How disappointing was it to have a flat tire in the final laps of the race while you were contenting for a win at California?
“Well, it is what it is. If the race stayed green we wouldn’t have had debris from the wreck and the tire doesn’t go flat and things would have been very different. However, we just came off winning the Daytona 500 so there really wasn’t much that was going to ruin our party. I mean, things like this are going to happen. We have been the victim of this a lot in 2007 and have been able to stay in contention for the Chase. I think this shows the maturity of our race team. We just have to let these types of things roll off our backs and keep plugging along.”