News and Media Releases
Harvick Finishes Second
16/02/2009
Shell-Pennzoil Driver Kevin Harvick Experienced Handling Issues Early but Fought Back to Finish Strong in the Rain-Shortened Daytona 500
DAYTONA BEACH, FL – After last week’s win in the Budweiser Shootout, Kevin Harvick was anxious to get back to racing action for the 51st running of the Daytona 500. It was just two years ago that Harvick won the “Great American Race” in dramatic fashion in his first outing for sponsors Shell and Pennzoil.
The driver of the No. 29 Shell-Pennzoil Chevrolet finished second in the rain-shortened Daytona 500 this season after being forced to start from the rear of the field in a back-up car as a result of a final practice crash on Saturday. The Shell-Pennzoil driver battled handling issues in the first half of the race before making a late charge to the front in the final lap before the rain began to fall - that eventually called the race.
The Bakersfield, California native took the green flag for the start of the 500-mile race in the rear of the field after qualifying in the 32nd position. Much like his run in the Bud Shootout, Harvick didn’t waste any time working his way to the front of the field.
The first caution flag waved on lap seven with Harvick running in the 17th position. The Shell-Pennzoil crew went to work to help free the car up, as Harvick was too tight in the opening run of the race. The driver of the No. 29 Shell-Pennzoil Chevrolet returned to the racetrack in the 28th position after a dozen or so cars elected not to pit.
Over the next several laps the two-time Nationwide Series Champion reported that the No. 29 Shell-Pennzoil Chevy was running slow and felt like it was bogging down. However, Harvick was able to continue to move up through the field and break back into the top 20 by lap 25 when NASCAR threw the caution flag for a competition yellow.
Less than 10 laps later, the Shell-Pennzoil driver found himself in the top-10 for the first time of the day. Lap 54 saw the caution flag again with Harvick reporting he was still fighting some handling issues. With two trips to pit road, the Shell-Pennzoil team gave Harvick adjustments including a spring rubber before sending him back on the track for green-flag racing. Harvick restarted in the rear of the field and lost the draft in the first several laps back under the green.
When caution waved again on lap 80 the 2007 Daytona 500 champion was able to catch back up to the field. Harvick brought the No. 29 RCR Chevy down the pit lane for service and returned to the racetrack for the restart in the 23rd position.
The next several laps saw some intense three-wide racing with the majority of the filed bunched up in one large pack. With the threat of rain, the field took the flag for the halfway mark of the 200-lap event with Harvick running in the 27th position.
On lap 118, the fifth caution flag waved for debris with Harvick running in the 14th position. Several cars had already made green-flag pit stops allowing the Shell-Pennzoil team to move back into the top-15. It was on the restart at lap 123 that the “big one” happened with a multi-car accident claiming nearly 10 cars.
A few raindrops delayed the restart but the skies dried up and racing resumed on lap 128 with Harvick posted in the eighth spot.
The California native remained in the top-10 and powered his way into the runner-up spot with 54 laps remaining as the final caution flag waved. As the race remained under yellow-flag conditions, the skies opened up and the rain began to fall again on the 2.5-mile speedway.
NASCAR brought the field down the pit lane two laps later and threw the red flag as the rain continued to fall. A short time later NASCAR officially called the race declaring it over with 152 of the 200 laps in the books.
"Our Shell-Pennzoil Chevrolet was rough in the beginning,” commented Harvick. “We came in and made some really big adjustments with the spring rubber and some air pressure and did a lot of things to work on the handling. We realized that we didn't have the speed we needed to. That was good because it was able to let me get pushed around a little bit and be able to be comfortable with my car and go where I needed to go.”
Matt Kenseth was declared the winner of the race with Harvick finishing second. A.J. Allmendinger, Clint Bowyer and Elliott Sadler rounded out the top five.
Next up for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series is the running of the Auto Club 500 at Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, California. Live television coverage begins on Sunday, February 22, 2009 at 5:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time (EST) on FOX. The event will also be broadcast live on MRN and Sirius Satellite Radio with coverage beginning at 5:15 p.m. Eastern Standard Time (EST).