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Pre-Race Report: Martinsville
Event/Date: Goody's Fast Pain Relief 500 - March 29, 2009
Venue: Martinsville (Va.) Speedway
Notes for the Race
- This Week's Shell-Pennzoil Chevrolet at Martinsville Speedway … Kevin Harvick will pilot Chassis No. 258 from the Richard Childress Racing (RCR) stable. In its only previous race, Harvick drove this Shell-Pennzoil Chevrolet Impala SS to a 13th-place finish at Lowe's Motor Speedway last October.
- Harvick in the Loop … In 15 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series starts at the paper clip-shaped oval, Harvick has six top-10 finishes. Additionally, "Happy" has led laps during four of the events with the most coming in October 2004 when he led 104 laps and finished eighth.
- Stat Facts … Over the past eight NASCAR Sprint Cup races at Martinsville, Harvick has a driver rating of 89.1, seventh-best among active drivers.
- The Year in Review … In five NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races this season, Harvick has earned two top-five finishes, including a season-best second-place effort in the Daytona 500. Last weekend at Bristol, the No. 29 team dealt with handling issues that kept them off the track for most of the first practice session. After qualifying 30th, Harvick was caught up in an accident on lap 58 of the Food City 500 that damaged both ends of his Shell- Pennzoil Chevrolet. Later in the race, a blown tire cost Harvick more track position and he finished 30th, dropping him to 12th in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series point standings.
- Former Winner … Harvick is a former winner at Martinsville Speedway, claiming victory in the 2006 NASCAR Nationwide Series Goody's 250 on his way to capturing the NASCAR Nationwide Series championship.
- RCR at Martinsville … In 106 previous NASCAR Sprint Cup starts at Martinsville, RCR has earned three poles and posted six wins between former drivers Ricky Rudd and Dale Earnhardt. Additionally, RCR-prepared race cars have earned 23 top-five and 44 top-10 finishes at Martinsville dating back to April 10, 1972. Richard Childress, a former driver in NASCAR's top division, contributed four of those top 10s from 1976-1978.
- Busy … In addition to driving the No. 29 Shell-Pennzoil Chevrolet Impala SS in Sunday's Goody's Fast Pain Relief 500 at Martinsville Speedway, Harvick will drive the No. 2 Bounty Chevy Silverado for Kevin Harvick, Inc. in Saturday's Kroger 250 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race. That race will air live on FOX Sat., March 28 at 2 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time, and can be heard on the Motor Racing Network and Sirius XM Satellite Radio.
- Meet the Press … Harvick will be available in the media center to field questions from media members Fri., March 27 at 10:15 a.m. EDT.
- Up to Speed … FOX's live coverage of the Goody's Fast Pain Relief 500 at Martinsville Speedway begins Sun., March 29 at 1:30 p.m. EDT. The event will also be broadcast live on MRN and Sirius XM Satellite Radio. Qualifying for sixth of 36 points-paying NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races will air live on SPEED Fri., March 27 at 3:30 p.m. EDT. MRN and Sirius XM Satellite radio will provide live qualifying updates.
Kevin Harvick Quotes
What do you think of your 2008 Martinsville performances?
"Martinsville's one of those tracks where you have to play the track position game. I know in the second race there (in 2008) we ran a lot better than 12th, but it's one of those things where you have to have the whole day go right. It's the closest track to my house, so it's kind of my home track. DeLana's family and all of our friends from around there like to come to that race, so it's one where we really want to do well."
Do your friends give you a hard time when you don't do well?
"Luckily, last year we did OK. They're getting a little impatient with me about not winning in something. We won the Nationwide race there a couple of years ago, and that's about all we've delivered for them there."
It seems like recently the No. 29 team runs in the top-10 at Martinsville, but can't seem to break into the top-five or into Victory Lane there. What's it going to take to get the No. 29 into position for a Martinsville win?
"We always feel like we run well there, but we don't ever finish in the top-five for some reason. We've just got to close the deal there and that's basically what it boils down to. We need to keep the track position right and just close the deal in the end."
Since most drivers grew up racing on short tracks, why do you think it's so difficult for some guys to get a handle on Martinsville Speedway?
"The car is a little bit of a challenge to get it to handle right. You want to get the thing as good as you can up off the corner, but you have to keep it turning through the center of the corner. It's a fine line as far as balance. We've been playing a little bit of catch-up to the Hendrick cars that have been dominant there over the past few years."
Does the new style of cars change how you race at Martinsville?
"I don't think so. Since they've resurfaced the race track, I think that's changed the racing as much as anything. Before, the surface was worn out and the concrete didn't go as far around the corners. The track's really smooth but it just creates a track position challenge. It becomes a little bit rough. If your car's handling good, you can pass. If your car's mediocre, it's tough."