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Pre-Race - Pep Boys Auto 500
Event/Date: Pep Boys Auto 500 - September 6, 2009
Venue: Atlanta Motor Speedway - Hampton, Ga.
Notes
This Week's Shell-Pennzoil Chevrolet Impala SS at Atlanta Motor Speedway … Kevin Harvick will pilot Chassis No. 281 in this weekend's Pep Boys Auto 500. Built new this season, this car has become a workhorse for the Shell-Pennzoil team. Harvick drove it to a 19th-place finish at Chicagoland Speedway and a sixth-place result at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in July, as well as 12th-place finishes at both Pocono Raceway and Michigan International Speedway in August.
Stat Facts … In 17 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series starts at NASCAR's fastest track, Harvick has one win, three top-five and four top-10 finishes. He's posted an average start of 16.8, an average finish of 21.5 and has earned just over $2 million at the 1.54-mile oval.
First Win … AMS was the site of Harvick's first NSCS win, which came in just his third series start. He claimed the victory by .006 second over Jeff Gordon, the third-closest margin of victory at Atlanta, on March 11, 2001.
Points Check … After his 38th-place finish at Bristol Motor Speedway, Harvick now holds down the 24th spot in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series point standings.
RCR in the ATL … In 109 starts at AMS, RCR has earned four poles and nine wins including Harvick's emotional victory in the Cracker Barrel 500 on March 11, 2001. Prior to that, Dale Earnhardt won eight times at AMS. Additionally, RCR boasts 26 top-five and 47 top-10 finishes at Atlanta. Meanwhile, RCR- prepared race cars have led 2,747 laps at the ultra-fast 1.54-mile quad oval. Richard Childress, a former driver on NASCAR's senior circuit, recorded his best finish at Atlanta with a ninth-place effort in the Atlanta Journal 500 on Nov. 2, 1980.
Double Down in Atlanta … In addition to his driving duties with the No. 29 Shell-Pennzoil Chevrolet, Harvick, a 33-time winner in the NASCAR Nationwide Series, will drive his Kevin Harvick, Inc.-owned No. 33 Jimmy John's Chevrolet in Saturday's Degree V12 300. The race will air live on ESPN2 beginning at 6:30 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time EDT. The race will also be broadcast live on the Performance Racing Network and Sirius Satellite Radio. Qualifying for the event will air live on SPEED the same day at 2:30 p.m. EDT.
"Kevin's Krew" … Harvick will meet with 40 students from local high schools in Victory Lane at Atlanta Motor Speedway, Sunday, September 6, before the running of the Pep Boys Auto 500. The group is part of "Kevin's Krew," a Shell-supported program designed to reach underprivileged and at-risk students and expose them to the racing industry. The students, who normally wouldn't have the opportunity to go to a NASCAR event, are treated to a unique experience while attending a Sprint Cup Series race.
Started by Colton, Calif. Police Officer Todd Smith two years ago, the "Kevin's Krew" program has expanded this year to eight events. In addition to this weekend's race, "Kevin's Krew" events were held at California Speedway, Infineon (Sonoma, Calif.) Raceway and Michigan International Speedway earlier this season. The remaining events for 2009 include; California Speedway on October 11, Lowe's Motor Speedway on October 17, Texas Motor Speedway on November 8 and Phoenix International Raceway on November 17.
Up to Speed … Live coverage of the Pep Boys Auto 500 at AMS begins Sunday, September 6 at 7 p.m. EDT on ESPN. The event will also be broadcast live on PRN and Sirius XM Satellite Radio. Qualifying for the 25th of 36 points-paying NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races will air live on SPEED, PRN and Sirius Satellite Radio Saturday, September 5 at 4:30 p.m. EDT.
Mark Your Calendars … In honor of its 40th anniversary, RCR will host a Fan Day at the Welcome, N.C. complex on Thursday, October 22 from 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. Activities include driver and pit crew autograph sessions, self-guided tours of RCR's Sprint Cup and Nationwide shops as well as ECR's engine shop, radio remotes, musical entertainment, pit crew competition, viewing of the DALE movie, question-and-answer session with team owner Richard Childress and much more. General admission to RCR's Fan Day is just $5, which will benefit the Childress Institute for Pediatric Trauma.
Online With the Times … To keep up with the latest news and information about Richard Childress Racing and to view exclusive online content, visit the team's official website at www.RCRRacing.com. For qualifying and race results, check us out at www.twitter.com/RCRRacing.
Twitter … Visit www.twitter.com/RCR29KHarvick, your official source for news and live race updates from the No. 29 Shell-Pennzoil Chevrolet Impala SS Racing team.
Kevin Harvick Quotes
You won at Atlanta eight years ago on a very emotional day for the entire RCR organization. It was your first Sprint Cup Series win as well. What do you remember about that day?
"I think for us it's obviously something that you can't do twice. To win your first race is something that's pretty cool. To do it in our third start, with everything that was going on, you can really look back on it now and reflect on those types of things.
"I don't remember a whole lot from that particular day. There are just so many emotions that were running through my mind - good emotions, bad emotions, everything that was happening. It was a little bit confusing, to be honest with you. Going back now, you look at where the sport was, everything that did for the sport, and the racing is always really good at Atlanta, so that's fun to be part of a finish like that.
"For several years it was kind of our Achilles' heel. Then we came back last year and ran really well, so that felt good to run good at the race track where you got your first win."
Do you remember any specifics about how you won or the move that you made?
"Oh yeah. The move that won the race was the three-wide move coming off of turn two and Dale Jarrett and Jerry Nadeau were side-by-side. Jeff Gordon and I were able to get by them off of turn two. A lot of people don't go back that far in the race but that was the move that put me in the position to win. It's actually a pretty fun race to go back and watch."
What kind of a track is Atlanta?
"Atlanta is fast, very fast. You can race all over the race track, from the white line to the wall, and still be competitive. You have to have the complete package to contend for the win there. Horsepower is always important. It's a lot of fun to race on but very fast. I struggle with finding the right feel for me to be comfortable. It's just something that I need to get better at and really focus on getting my car right."
How do you think the atmosphere will be Atlanta Motor Speedway now that is falls on Labor Day Weekend? "I think it will be very exciting for the fans to see some night racing at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Ed Clark and all his people have done a great job with the track over the last couple of years. It should be a lot of fun for the fans as well as the drivers."