Catchfence

CONCORD, N.C. (May 24, 2009) — For Memorial Day weekend, Kevin Harvick and the No. 33 Kevin Harvick Inc. (KHI) team displayed the colors of Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) as Harvick looked for his first Nationwide Series win at the track. Starting the race from the eighth position, Harvick struggled most of the night with the handling of the car and finished the rain-shortened event in the 23rd position, two laps down to race winner Mike Bliss.

Late afternoon rain in the Concord, N.C. area postponed the CARQUEST Auto Parts 300 until 9:00 p.m., and when the green flag waved, Harvick and the No. 33 VFW team quickly moved into seventh and into the fifth position by lap seven.

Running in the top 10, Harvick radioed crew chief Ernie Cope on lap 20 that the tires were chattering all the way through the corners. Fortunately, the caution flag waved on lap 24 with Harvick in the 10th position and the team was able to come down pit road for four tires, fuel, an air-pressure and trackbar adjustment and pull the left-rear rubber. With varying pit strategies among the top-running cars, Harvick restarted 17th on lap 29.

Continuing to run between 14th and 18th, Harvick told the team on lap 58 that the car would not turn in the corners and on lap 80 while running in the 18th position, Harvick was lapped by race leader Kyle Busch putting him one-lap down to the leaders. Two laps later Harvick pitted under green for four tires, fuel and an air-pressure adjustment. Following the cycle of pit stops, Harvick was in the 20th position, one lap down.

Fighting to remain in position to receive the lucky dog, Harvick continued to run 17th before making another scheduled green-flag pit stop on lap 149 for four tires, fuel and adjustments. Unfortunately, the fuel catch can was caught in the car when Harvick pulled out of the pit box resulting in a penalty for leaving the pit area with equipment.

On lap 161 following a quick caution, Harvick was scored in the 25th position, two laps down to the leaders. Making his way up to 23rd, rain began falling on the track on lap 168 and the race was red-flagged on lap 170. With NASCAR attempting to restart the race, the rain continued to fall and the CARQUEST Auto Parts 300 was called 30 laps short of the finish.

Mike Bliss won his second career Nationwide Series race, followed by rookie Brendan Gaughan, Kyle Busch, Brain Vickers and Joey Logano.

STATS RECAP

May 23, 2009

Lowe’s (N.C.) Motor Speedway

CARQUEST Auto Parts 300

Race: 11 of 35
Driver: Kevin Harvick
Started: 8th
Finished: 23rd
Owner’s Point Standings: 3rd (-2 spot, 74 points out of 1st)
Race length: 200 laps/300 miles
Banking: 24-degrees in turns
5-degrees on straight-a-ways
Track layout: 1.5-miles
Shape: Quad-Oval
Number of Race Cautions: 5 for 26 Laps
First Practice: 9th (30.245 seconds; 178.542 mph)
Final Practice: 6th (29.925 seconds; 180.451 mph)
Qualifying: 8th (29.808 seconds; 181.159 mph)

Next on the Nationwide Series Schedule:

Date: May 30, 2009
Track: Dover (Del.) International Speedway
Event Name: Heluva Good! 200
Driver: Kevin Harvick
Sponsor: Copart
Broadcast Time: 2:00 p.m., ET on ABC and MRN Radio

- Kevin Harvick, Inc., Press Release