Race 2 Win: Sprint Cup Series Race Notes

Sprint Cup Series

Crown Royal Presents the Dan Lowry 400 - Kevin Harvick Notes

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

Event/Date: Crown Royal 400 – May 3, 2008
Venue: Richmond (Va.) International Raceway

NOTES:

This Week’s Race Car at Richmond International Raceway … Kevin Harvick will pilot Chassis No. 242 from the Richard Childress Racing (RCR) stable. This is the same Shell-Pennzoil Chevrolet Impala SS that Harvick drove to a 12th-place finish at Martinsville Speedway in March.

Harvick in the Loop

Richmond Rankings … In 14 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series starts at RIR, Harvick has earned one win, one pole, four top-five and eight top-10 finishes. Additionally, the Bakersfield, Calif., native has earned a 19.9 starting average, 12.1 finishing average and has led 646 laps of competition.

Since We’re Talking Stats … According to NASCAR’s loop data statistics, Harvick has the highest Average Running Position (5.5) at RIR over the last six races. Additionally, the 2007 Chase contender has also led the most laps (599) in the last six races at the .75-mile Richmond oval.

How This All Stacks Up … The Bakersfield, Calif., native currently sits atop NASCAR’s Driver Rating (121.2) category at RIR. The Driver Rating is a formula that combines the following categories: wins, finishes, top-15 finishes, average running position while on the lead lap, average speed under green, fastest lap, most laps led and lead-lap finishes. The maximum points a driver can earn in each race is 150 points. The Driver Rating number is used pre-race as a prediction tool and post-race as a performance evaluator.

Points Check … Harvick fell to sixth in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series point standings after his 24th-place finish last weekend at Talladega Superspeedway. The 32-year-old driver sits 37 points out of fifth and 139 out of the lead.

RCR at RIR … Richard Childress is tied for fifth with Robert Yates for car owner victories at Richmond with six wins – five with Dale Earnhardt and the most recent coming in 2006 with Harvick. Additionally, in 101 starts at RIR, RCR boasts 28 top-five and 46 top-10 finishes at the three-quarter mile Virginia oval with nine different drivers including Earnhardt, Clint Bowyer, Jeff Burton, Jeff Green, Robby Gordon, Harvick, Ricky Rudd and Mike Skinner. Childress, a former driver on NASCAR’s senior circuit, contributed three of those top 10s from 1976-1978.

Mr. Consistency … Harvick has not recorded a DNF in 53 consecutive races, which is the longest active streak. Additionally, the 2007 Daytona 500 winner holds the modern era record with 58 consecutive races without a DNF (10/3/2002-8/1/2004).

Make if Four … Scott Wimmer will attempt to qualify for his first NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race of the season this weekend at Richmond driving the No. 33 Impala SS, giving RCR four entries in the Crown Royal 400. Wimmer’s most recent Cup start came last July at Indianapolis Motor Speedway where he started 21st. Unfortunately, contact with another car on pit road ultimately left the Wausau, Wis., native with a 31st-place finish.

200 and Counting … Harvick will be making his 200th NASCAR Nationwide Series start this weekend at RIR. In 199 starts and nine seasons in the series, Harvick has compiled two NASCAR Nationwide Driver championships, one NASCAR Nationwide Owners’ championship, 32 wins, 16 poles, 102 top-five and 146 top-10 finishes. With 32 Nationwide Series wins, Harvick currently sits second on the all-time win list, 16 wins behind Mark Martin.

Double Down … In addition to his driving duties the No. 29 Shell-Pennzoil Chevrolet, Harvick, a 32-time race winner in the NASCAR Nationwide Series, will drive the No. 33 Rheem Chevrolet in the May 2 Lipton Tea 250 at RIR. The race will be televised on ESPN2 beginning at 7 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time. The event will also be broadcast live on the Motor Racing Network and Sirius Satellite Radio. Qualifying for the 11th race of the 2008 NASCAR Nationwide Series will be televised on ESPN2 the same day beginning at 4 p.m. EDT.

Up to Speed … Live coverage of the Crown Royal 400 at RIR will take the green flag Saturday, May 3 beginning at 7 p.m. EDT and will be telecast live on FOX. The event will also be broadcast live on MRN and Sirius Satellite Radio. Qualifying for the 10th of 36 points-paying NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races will air live on SPEED, MRN and Sirius Satellite Radio Friday, May 2 at 5:30 p.m. EDT.

KEVIN HARVICK QUOTES:
Do you approach RIR as more of a short track or a speedway?
“It really is a little of both but I think you have to go in with the short-track mindset. There is more contact at Richmond than you have at a bigger track. I think sometimes drivers use the short track as an excuse to beat and bang, but as tight as the racing is there, it’s hard to not have incidental contact.”

Do you enjoy racing at night?
“I enjoy being home on Sunday, I can tell you that much. You get Sunday afternoon to get back in the swing of things earlier in the week instead of having to waste Monday. I also enjoy racing at night. I think everybody enjoys the cooler temperatures and the night atmosphere.”

Do you enjoy racing at Richmond?
“We have been able to run really good at Richmond since I have been at RCR. We have been able to win three Nationwide Series races in a row and finish first and second in the Cup car in 2006. Richmond is one of those places where I really enjoy racing. You can move the car all over the race track. It seems like the groove moves around as the race goes on. I am just really comfortable racing at Richmond and I hope for another great finish this weekend.”