Kevin Harvick
No. 29 Shell-Pennzoil Chevrolet
Event Preview Fact Sheet
Event/Date: 3M Performance 400 – August 19, 2007
Venue: Michigan International Speedway – Brooklyn, Mich.
NOTES:
This Week’s Race Car at Michigan International Speedway … Kevin Harvick will pilot Chassis No. 179 from the Richard Childress Racing (RCR) stable. This is the same No. 29 Chevrolet Harvick drove to Victory Lane in the NASCAR NEXTEL All-Star Challenge earlier this year. This is also the same car Harvick raced to a 21st-place finish in May at Lowe’s Motor Speedway and to a fourth-place finish in July at Chicagoland Speedway. Built new last season, Harvick raced this car last November at Texas Motor Speedway (St. 21 – Fn. 3) and Homestead-Miami Speedway (St. 7 – Fn. 5). Since last year, the car has been outfitted with all the required 2007 updates including a new body.
Stat Facts … In 13 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series races at Michigan International Speedway, Harvick has earned two top-five and five top-10 finishes. Additionally, the 11-time NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series winner has earned a 16.8 starting average and a 16.1 finishing average.
RCR at Michigan … RCR team owner Richard Childress has earned two wins at Michigan International Speedway, both of them coming with Dale Earnhardt. Earnhardt snagged the checkered flag in the Miller American 400 on June 28, 1987 and again in the Miller Genuine Draft 400 on June 24, 1990. Additionally, RCR boasts 15 top-five and 34 top-10 finishes with seven different drivers including Childress, a former driver in NASCAR’s top division, who recorded top 10s at Michigan in June 1978 and in August 1979.
Keeping it on the Track … Harvick has been running at the finish of all 22 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series races this season. Harvick, teammate Clint Bowyer and Denny Hamlin are the only three drivers in the top 10 in points to have no DNFs (did not finish) in 2007.
Dirt Racing … “Happy” Harvick will hit the dirt track of Sharon Speedway in Hartford, Ohio on Tuesday, August 14. Harvick, along with Dave Blaney, Tony Stewart and RCR teammate Clint Bowyer, will battle the local e-mod stars in a $1,000 to win e-mod feature. The festivities will also feature an autograph session involving a lottery process. All fans will receive a lottery scratch off ticket upon entering the track. After scratching off the ticket, if the letter on the ticket matches one of the drivers, that fan will be able to receive an autograph from that driver. Tickets for the “NASCAR Duel on the Sharon Speedway Dirt” cost $25 for adults and $5 for kids (age 2-13), with reserved seats just $2 more and gates open at 4 p.m. To get tickets, fans can log on to www.sharonspeedway.com or call (330) 772-1186.
Meet the Driver … Harvick will sign autographs at the AutoZone store located on 814 W. North St. in Jackson, Mich., from 4 – 6 p.m. Thursday, August 16.
Double Duty in the Irish Hills … Once again, Harvick will return to the seat of RCR’s No. 21 AutoZone Chevrolet this weekend at Michigan International Speedway. Live television coverage of the CARFAX 250 will take the green flag Saturday, August 18 at 3 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time (EDT) on ESPN2. The Motor Racing Network (MRN) and Sirius Satellite Radio will also broadcast the race live from coast to coast. Qualifying for the 24th race on the 2007 NASCAR Busch Series schedule will be televised live on ESPN2 the same day beginning at 11 a.m. EDT.
Up to Speed … The 3M Performance 400 from Michigan International Speedway is scheduled to get the green flag Sunday, August 19 at 2 p.m. EDT. The race will also be broadcast live on MRN and Sirius Satellite Radio. Qualifying will be televised live on ESPN2, August 17 beginning at 3 p.m. EDT. MRN and Sirius Satellite Radio will provide live qualifying updates beginning at 3 p.m. EDT.
KEVIN HARVICK QUOTES:
Are you going to do anything different in the final four races before the Chase to try and get a win?
“We are going to keep racing. We aren’t going to do anything different than what we normally do. We are just going to go out and race as hard as we can. However, it would be great to be able to get one or two more wins under our belts before the Chase.”
What is the key to being successful at Michigan?
“I really enjoy racing at Michigan. You can race from the white line to the wall. You can get your car to pretty much work anywhere on the race track. However, Michigan is one of those places that you have to have the entire package to compete for the win. Being successful has a lot to do with the horsepower you have under the hood and how well you can get your car to handle all over the race track.”
When can you start running the high lines at Michigan?
“Well, Michigan is a little different than most tracks. You can run from the white line to the wall on the first lap if you want to. At tracks like Chicago and Kansas, you have to slowly creep up the race track and wait until rubber builds to make your way up near the wall. At Michigan, you can go right to the wall on lap one or lap 100. It really doesn’t matter.”
