Kevin Harvick
No. 29 Shell-Pennzoil Impala SS
Event Preview Fact Sheet
Event/Date: Centurion Boats at the Glen – August 12, 2007
Venue: Watkins Glen (N.Y.) International
NOTES:
This Week’s Race Car at Watkins Glen International … Kevin Harvick will pilot Chassis No. 211 from the Richard Childress Racing (RCR) stable. This is the same Shell-Pennzoil Chevy Impala SS that Harvick drove to a second-place finish earlier this season at Infineon Raceway.
Stat Facts … In six NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series races at Watkins Glen, Harvick has earned one win (2006), two top-five and four top-10 finishes and has led 29 laps. Additionally, the 11-time NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series winner has earned a 9.3 starting average, an eighth-place finishing average and has completed all 542 laps of competition.
Twists and Turns … In 13 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series road course starts (Infineon Raceway and Watkins Glen International), the Bakersfield, Calif., native has one win (Watkins Glen 2006), four top-five and six top-10 finishes. The 2007 NEXTEL All-Star Challenge winner has also led 36 laps and has earned an 11.7 starting average and an 11.8 finishing average.
Testing One, Two, Three, Testing … The Shell-Pennzoil team tested Chassis No. 211 at Virginia International Raceway (VIR) July 31st in preparation for this weekend’s Centurion Boats at the Glen.
Points Check … Harvick currently sits ninth in NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series point standings. He is 24 markers out of seventh and 149 markers out of the top five.
RCR at the Glen … In 36 starts at Watkins Glen International, RCR boasts two wins (Harvick 2006 and Robby Gordon 2003), eight top-five and 16 top-10 finishes with seven different drivers. Additionally, Dale Earnhardt won the pole three times (1990, ’92, ’96) at the high-speed, 11-turn central New York circuit.
Going Home … Four members from the Shell-Pennzoil Racing crew hail from New York. Shock Engineer Chris Chase grew up in Nichols, Engine Specialist and gasman Brian Englehart grew up in Greenfield Center, Suspension Mechanic and Spotter Bill O’Dea grew up in Victor and Mechanic Gene Pasquale grew up in Honeoye.
Up Close and Personal … The No. 29 team will be one of five teams featured this weekend on DirecTV’s NASCAR Hot Pass coverage. With a channel dedicated solely to the Shell-Pennzoil Racing team during the running of the Centurion Boats at the Glen, fans will be able to watch all the action through DirecTV’s multiple camera angles, real-time car telemetry and listen to in-car audio communication.
Double Time … Once again, Harvick will return to the seat of RCR’s No. 21 AutoZone Chevrolet this weekend at Watkins Glen International. Live television coverage of the Zippo 200 will take the green flag Saturday, August 11 at 3 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time (EDT) on ESPN. 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 11:30 a.m. EDT.
Catch all the Action … The Centurion Boats at the Glen will take the green flag Sunday, August 12 at 1 p.m. EDT and will be telecast live on ESPN. The event will also be broadcast live on MRN and Sirius Satellite Radio. Qualifying will be televised live on ESPN2 Friday, August 10 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:
What do you think is going to be your biggest challenge this weekend at Watkins Glen?
“I think the biggest challenge is going to be the COT cars. The setup on these cars is 180 degrees different from the old cars. We have tested at VIR several times to prepare for this event. I think we have learned a lot during the test and I think my team is up to the challenge.”
What did winning at Watkins Glen mean to your career and do you think you can make it two in a row?
“Winning at Watkins Glen was a major accomplishment in my career. We’d been able to win on all the different types of race tracks as we’ve gone through the years, but the road course thing, we always had this little cloud over us. We have been in contention to win and always had things happen here and there. To finally do that was pretty satisfying. It’s almost a sense of relief because you get so frustrated at places you know you’re capable of winning and haven’t been able to. However, this year it’s going to be a new challenge since we are going to race the COT car. We ran well at Sonoma and had a pretty good test at VIR so I think we have a pretty good chance to repeat at Watkins Glen.”
After Pocono you are ninth in the points and you are 208 ahead of 13th. Do you feel pretty comfortable about making the Chase?
“We haven’t had everything go right this year so we are pretty happy to be in this position. We still have to go out and race hard every week. You can lose points a whole lot easier than you can gain them this time of year. I think if we keep racing hard and do what we know how to do, I think we will be okay.”
You have pretty good road course stats. Does it bother you that your name doesn’t get brought up as a road course expert?
“We have been able to run in the top 10 and top five at Watkins Glen and Sonoma. I am fine that my name doesn’t get brought up when it comes to road course experts. It kind of gives me a chance to fly under the radar a little. Hopefully, we can just keep piling up top-five finishes and maybe they will talk about me 20 years from now.”
