Monday
Kevin Harvick Gateway International Raceway Preview
Press ReleaseNo. 33 Jimmy John’s Chevrolet Impala SS
Team Race Preview
NASCAR Nationwide Series Race 19 of 35 – Gateway International Raceway
RETURN TO SITE OF FIRST WIN:
In 2000 Kevin Harvick began his rookie season in the NASCAR Nationwide Series and scored his first career win at Gateway International Raceway. The victory not only marked his first NASCAR Nationwide Series win, but also his first win in NASCAR’s top-three series (Truck, Nationwide and Sprint Cup). Since winning at Gateway in 2000, Harvick has gone on to score 33 Nationwide Series victories with his most recent coming earlier this season at Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway.ST. LOUIS BOUND: With a three-year hiatus, Kevin Harvick returns to Gateway International Raceway for the first time since 2006 behind the wheel of the No. 33 Jimmy John’s Chevrolet. Having only three previous starts at the track, Harvick has an average starting position of 3.0 and an average finishing position of 2.3 on the strength of two wins and three top-five finishes. Harvick has completed all 600 laps attempted and has led 221 of those laps.
This marks the first race where Harvick will pilot a Kevin Harvick Inc. (KHI) car at Gateway, with his previous three starts being for Richard Childress Racing (RCR).
LOOKING FOR NO. 3: Harvick, who won the Nationwide Series races in 2000 and 2001, will look to become the only driver to win three Nationwide Series events at Gateway, to set himself apart from three other drivers who have also scored two wins each at the track: Dale Earnhardt Jr. (1998, 1999), Reed Sorenson (2005, 2007) and Carl Edwards (2006, 2008).
KHI’S IN-HOUSE SUCCESSES AT GATEWAY: In addition to Harvick’s success, several others at KHI have also had success at Gateway Internationl Raceway. KHI General Manager Rick Carelli won the first Truck Series race at the track in 1998 and 10 years later, spotting for KHI’s No. 33 Truck Series team with Ron Hornaday, he helped guide Hornaday to his first Truck Series win at Gateway. In 2006 Cale Gale won his first Automobile Racing Club of America (ARCA) race, and by the end of that year was driving for KHI.
BEFORE THE RACE: QUOTES WITH DRIVER KEVIN HARVICK:With your success at Gateway International Raceway, what does it mean to you to return this year in the No. 33 Jimmy John’s car?
“Gateway has been a great track to me over the years. I have two wins in only three Nationwide Series starts and look forward to continuing that success this time around with the No. 33 Jimmy Johns Chevrolet. Gateway is a very unique track with two completely different sets of corners, which makes for some great racing that the fans will enjoy.”
CHASSIS HISTORY: This week the No. 33 Jimmy John’s team will unload chassis No. 036 for team co-owner Harvick at Gateway International Raceway. This chassis has two previous starts this season, both at Nashville (Tenn.) Superspeedway. Kelly Bires first piloted this chassis in April where he scored a fifth-place finish. Cale Gale was up next, earning a 31st-place finish after being caught in a mid-race accident while running in the top 12.
HARVICK TO SURPRISE ST. LOUIS-AREA BUSINESS WITH JIMMY JOHN’S SANDWICH DELIVERY: Thousands of business people in the St. Louis area get a freaky fast, freaky good sandwich from Jimmy John’s every day. And, while they are regularly impressed with just how freaky fast the sandwiches are made and delivered, one lucky business will soon find out the real meaning of speed when they get a surprise delivery from Harvick. Employees at St. Louis-area businesses who are passionate about Jimmy John’s and NASCAR can make a pit stop at www.JimmyJohns.com/Kevin to enter for a chance to win the Freaky Fast Kevin Harvick Delivery. On July 16th, the winning business can expect the delivery of a lifetime! Delivering in freaky fast Jimmy John’s style, Harvick will speed up in his No. 33 Jimmy John’s car to deliver sandwiches and prizes, including a meet-and-greet with Kevin, autographs, tickets to an upcoming race at Gateway International Raceway and Jimmy John’s gear. Check out www.JimmyJohns.com/Kevin for official rules and details.
PREVIOUS RACE RECAP: Most recently competing at Chicagoland Speedway, Kevin Harvick piloted the No. 33 Jimmy John’s car from the 10th starting position to a solid fifth-place finish. With long green-flag runs and fast pit stops by the No. 33 team, Harvick never ran outside the top 10 and adjusted on the car throughout the night to earn his fourth top-five finish at the 1.5-mile track in just seven Nationwide Series starts.
No. 33 Jimmy John’s Specs:
Chassis: 036
Engine: ECR
Kevin Harvick Nationwide Series Stats at Gateway
Year No. Team Start Finish
2006 21 RCR 3 5
2001 2 RCR 2 1
2000 2 RCR 4 1
*RCR: Richard Childress Racing
About Jimmy John’s:
Jimmy John’s Gourmet Sandwiches was founded in 1983 by 19-year-old Jimmy John Liautaud in a converted garage in Charleston, IL. Since its inception, the company has grown to over 825 corporate and franchised locations in more than 37 states throughout the U.S. The company is known for its obsession with fresh, quality products and high-speed execution. For more information, visit www.jimmyjohns.com.
About Kevin Harvick Inc.
Kevin Harvick Inc. (KHI), established in 2001, is a 70,000 sq. ft. facility located in Kernersville, N.C. KHI houses two full-time Truck Series teams, including the 2007 series champions. The No. 33 team is led by three-time Truck Series champion Ron Hornaday and the No. 4 KHI All-Stars team is comprised of Ricky Carmichael, the most successful motocross racer in American history, J.R. Fitzpatrick and a variety of NASCAR Sprint Cup stars. KHI is also home to the No. 33 Nationwide Series team competing full-time with drivers Kevin Harvick (a two-time Nationwide Series champion), 2008 Daytona 500 champion Ryan Newman, Ron Hornaday, Cale Gale and Kelly Bires. The 2009 season marks KHI’s sixth year of full-time competition in NASCAR’s elite divisions. Visit www.kevinharvickinc.com for more information.
- Kevin Harvick Inc. Press Release
Article Tags: ARCA, Automobile Racing Club of America, Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway, Cale Gale, Carl Edwards, Chicagoland Speedway, Dale Earnhardt Jr, Freaky Fast Kevin Harvick Delivery, Gateway International Raceway, J.R. Fitzpatrick, Jimmy John's Gourmet Sandwiches, Kelly Bires, Kevin Harvick, Kevin Harvick Inc., KHI, NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, NASCAR Nationwide Series, NASCAR Sprint Cup, Nashville (Tenn.) Superspeedway, No. 33 Jimmy John’s Chevrolet Impala SS, RCR, Reed Sorenson, Richard Childress Racing, Rick Carelli, Ricky Carmichael, Ron Hornaday, Ryan Newman


