Race 2 Win: NEXTEL Cup Series Race Notes

Nextel Cup Series

Samsung 500 - Kevin Harvick Notes

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

Event/Date: Samsung 500 – April 1, 2007
Venue: Texas Motor Speedway – Ft. Worth, Texas

NOTES:

This Week’s Race Car at Texas Motor 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 Matt Kenseth with for the win at California Speedway before a flat-tire forced him to make an unscheduled pit stop and finished 17th. Additionally, this car also saw action last year at Indianapolis Motor Speedway (started 10th – finished third) and in October at Charlotte (started fifth – finished 18th).

Harvick in the Loop at Texas

Stat Facts … In eight NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series starts at Texas Motor Speedway, Harvick has two top-five and three top-10 finishes.

Now that’s Quality … Strong performances by at Texas Motor Speedway have definitely shown as Harvick is rated fourth in the quality passes category. Harvick has 115 quality passes in the past four races at Texas.

On the Lead Lap … The 2006 NASCAR Busch Series champion has finished on the lead lap 99.8 percent of the time.

Former Winner … Although Harvick is still searching for his first NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series win at Texas, he has been no stranger to Victory Lane in the Lone Star State. In 2001, he drove the No. 2 entry to victory lane, and then did the same in 2005 and 2006 behind the wheel of RCR’S No. 21 Chevy.

Operation Wax Smoke … Tony Stewart said on his Sirius satellite radio show, Tony Stewart Live, that if someone donated $100,000 to the Victory Junction Gang Camp, he would wax his chest and back. Harvick and his fans have taken the challenge and are in the process of raising the money. To date, Harvick and his fans have raised over $17,500 for Operation Wax Smoke. For more information or to make a donation please visit our website, www.kevinharvick.com, to find out how you can be a part of “Operation Wax Smoke.”

One Trophy Missing from the Shelf … In 31 races at TMS, dating back to 1997, team owner Richard Childress has yet to take home the winner’s trophy. Over that span, the Welcome, N.C.-based operation has earned three top-five and nine top-10 finishes with drivers Dale Earnhardt, Kevin Harvick, Jeff Burton, Bowyer and Jeff Green. However, Childress, a former driver in NASCAR’s top division, earned a pair of top 10s while he was still behind the wheel at Texas World Speedway in College Station.

R07 for RCR … RCR will utilize Chevy’s new R07 motor this weekend when Wimmer hits the track with the No. 33 Chevy on Friday afternoon. Per NASCAR regulations, the R07 displaces a maximum of 358 cubic inches. In contrast to the SB2’s “mirror port” cylinder heads, the R07’s cylinder heads resemble production LS-series small-block cylinder heads with alternating intake and exhaust valves. While production small-block V-8 engines employ electronic fuel injection, the R07 port layout is optimized for the single four-barrel carburetor mandated by NASCAR. The R07’s key technical advances over the SB2 include 4.500-inch cylinder bore centers (vs. 4.400 inches in the SB2), a raised camshaft that improves valvetrain dynamics, a new six-bolt head bolt pattern that reduces cylinder bore distortion, and a targeted cooling system that minimizes temperatures at critical locations. A cast camshaft tunnel, integral piston squirter galleries, and overhead oil feed galleries reduce engine assembly time. Relocating the fuel pump to the inboard side of the car and eliminating external oil and coolant lines enhance safety. RCR was the first team in the NEXTEL Cup ranks to exercise Chevrolet’s new engine combination when Wimmer attempted to qualify for the Kobalt Tools 500 last month at Atlanta Motor Speedway.

Yankees Fan … On April 2, Harvick along with a few executives from Shell-Pennzoil made their way to Yankee Stadium for opening day. The Yankee’s beat the Tampa Bay Devil Ray’s 9 -5.

Make it Four … Scott Wimmer will attempt to make his 2007 NEXTEL Cup debut this weekend at Texas Motor Speedway behind the wheel of the No. 33 Holiday Inn Monte Carlo SS, giving RCR four entries in the Samsung 500.

Double Duty … In addition to his driving duties with the No. 29 Shell-Pennzoil Chevrolet, Harvick, a 27-time race winner in the NASCAR Busch Series, will driver KHI’s No. 33 RoadLoans.com Chevrolet in the O’Reilly 300 Saturday, April 14. The race will be televised on ESPN 2 beginning at 3 Eastern Daylight Time (EDT) and also broadcast live on the Performance Racing Network (PRN) and Sirius Satellite Radio.

23 and Counting … Harvick will be looking for his 24th consecutive top-10 finish in the NASCAR Busch Series, as streak that dates back to the June 2006 race at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway.

Up to Speed … The Samsung 500 from Texas Motor Speedway will take the green flag Sunday, April 15 at 2 p.m. EDT and will be telecast live on FOX. The event will also be broadcast live on PRN and Sirius Satellite Radio. Qualifying for the seventh of 36 NASCAR Cup Series races will be televised live on SPEED Friday, April 13 beginning at 8 p.m. EDT.

KEVIN HARVICK QUOTES:
Are Charlotte and Texas similar? Is Texas tougher to get around?
“The transitions up off the corners at Texas are a lot different than Charlotte. The banking comes out of the corners and it really flattens out as you exit the corners. It is really hard to get a hold of turn two. A lot of times you are either really loose up off turn two or you’re pushing the front-end really bad. It is a fine line to get your car to work great around the entire track

Do you enjoy racing at Texas?
“Texas is a fast racetrack. Besides Dover, it’s possibly the biggest sensation of speed other than a qualifying lap at Atlanta Motor Speedway. The support that the fans give in Texas is outstanding. They say everything is bigger in Texas, and that’s pretty much true when it comes to the crowd, purse and everything like that. It’s a very nice facility and I enjoy racing there.”

Why do you think Texas is one of you best mile-and-a-half tracks for you?
“Texas has always been really good to us. It has been one of those race tracks that fits my driving style and goes right along with our setups. We have been fortunate to run well there. We have won a few Busch races there and finished both the Cup races last year in the top five. So it has been a good track for us and it should carry over into this year.”

Are you happy that Texas decided to fix the bump in turn one?
“The bump was pretty big. They were probably going to have to fix it to keep the Indy cars running around the track. I think for us, bumps here and there gives race tracks unique characteristics. I think they fixed it the right way. They did just try and patch it. They actually went under the race track and just raised the bump up. We will just have to see what happens when we get there.”

How are the three teams working together this year at RCR?
“We share everything. Everybody gets along good. It is the greatest environment that I have been around from a team aspect. All of us communicate well and we are all good friends. The crew chiefs communicate well and the teams have been together long enough that everybody petty much knows everybody; it is a pleasure to be a part of. I have personally have never been a part of something like this.”

CREW CHIEF TODD BERRIER:
What does it take to be a successful crew chief in this day and age?
“It’s all about people, you have to surround yourself with the right people and allow those people to do their jobs. A crew chief today just has to take everything in and driver people to all work toward a common goal. It’s not about one person’s talent, it’s about assembling a group that can work together and get the job done. The crew chief is about driver and team relationships.”