Late-Race Incident Spoils Top-10 Run

Kevin Harvick was well on his way to a top-10 finish Saturday night at Richmond International Raceway when a late-race incident spoiled his solid run.

Coming off a string of poor finishes, Harvick entered the 10th event of the 2009 season with a new crew chief, new crew and a new outlook. The Bakersfield, California native was running in the top-10 when he made contact with another car causing his left rear tire to go flat and sending him into the outside retaining wall.

After the Shell-Pennzoil team made repairs Harvick returned to the track several laps down and took the checkered flag in the 34th position in the Crown Royal presents The Russ Friedman 400.

The race began under green-yellow conditions after heavy rains earlier in the day soaked the ¾-mile track. After six laps under the yellow, the green-flag was waved for the first full-speed laps of the race.

It was only three laps later that the second caution flag waved with Harvick running in the 18th position. By lap 40 the Shell-Pennzoil driver was running just outside of the top-10 in the 11th position.

After reporting to his crew that he was a little too tight in the center of the corner and loosing grip coming off the corner Harvick continued to steadily move through the field.

It was during a green-flag pit stop cycle that the two-time Nationwide Series champion was able to come to pit road for the first time. On lap 95 Harvick brought his Shell-Pennzoil Chevrolet down the pit lane to the attention of his crew and received four tires, fuel and an air pressure adjustment. Once the green-flag cycle was complete the Shell-Pennzoil team was posted in the top-10 in the eighth position.

Harvick continued to fight slight handling issues throughout the evening returning to pit road every chance he could get for additional adjustments. Crew Chief Gil Martin and the Shell-Pennzoil team continued to work on the No. 29 Chevy giving Harvick additional adjustments along with regular service.

The 2007 Daytona 500 champion was able to remain right around the 10th position throughout much of the race before finding trouble on lap 291. While running in the top-10, Harvick and another car made contact causing his left rear tire to go flat.

The flat tire sent the 2009 Budweiser Shootout winner into the outside retaining wall where he made heavy contact. Harvick was able to restart the Shell-Pennzoil Chevy and return to pit road where he remained for several laps while the crew made repairs. The 33-year-old returned to the track four laps down to the leaders and ended up losing a couple more laps before finishing in the 34th position six laps down to the leaders.

"I'm not sure what happened on our wreck," stated Harvick. "Somebody hit me on the backstretch and it cut down my left rear (tire). We had a good car, and really had a pretty good run going until then."

"We were a little tight and were working on our front grip, but we definitely had at least a top 10 car. I hate it for Gil (Martin) and the guys. To have someone ruin your night like that just stinks. On the positive side, I enjoyed working with the new crew this weekend, and I'm looking forward to Darlington."

Harvick's finish dropped him three spots in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series point standings where he now sits 23rd.

Kyle Busch won the race with Tony Stewart and Jeff Burton finishing second and third. Ryan Newman and Mark Martin rounded out the top-five.

Next up for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series is the running of the Southern 500 presented by GoDaddy.com at Darlington Raceway. Live television coverage begins on Saturday, May 9, 2009 at 7:00 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time (EDT) on FOX. 

The event will also be broadcast live on MRN (Motor Racing Network) and Sirius XM Satellite Radio with coverage beginning at 6:30 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time (EDT).