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Pre-Race Notes - AAA 400
Event/Date: AAA 400 – September 27, 2009
Venue: Dover (Del.) International Speedway
Notes
This Week's Shell-Pennzoil Chevrolet at Dover International Speedway … Kevin Harvick will pilot Chassis No. 287 from the Richard Childress Racing NASCAR Sprint Cup Series stable this weekend at Dover International Speedway. A brand new car, it will be put through its first paces during practice for Sunday's AAA 400.
Stat Facts … In 17 NASCAR Sprint Cups Series starts at DIS, Harvick has earned two top-five and six top-10 finishes. Additionally, the Bakersfield, Calif., native has earned a 20.7 starting average and an 18.4 finishing average. In that span, Harvick has collected nearly $2 million in purse money and been running at the end of all but one event.
After 27 … Over the season's first 27 races, Harvick has notched three top-five and five top-10 finishes. The 33-year-old driver has logged a 20.9 starting average and a 21.9 finishing average. He has completed 7,384 of the 7,626 (96.7 percent) total laps run this season.
Most Recent Dover Visit … Early in the Autism Speaks 400 at DIS in May, Harvick was caught a lap down when a caution flag came out while he was on pit road. His No. 29 Shell-Pennzoil team fought its way back on to the lead lap to finish 17th.
RCR at Dover … RCR has earned four wins at Dover International Speedway, the latest coming in September 2006 when Jeff Burton drove the No. 31 Chevy to Victory Lane in the Dover 400. The other three wins came with Dale Earnhardt, who won both events at the “Monster Mile” in 1989 and the spring race in 1993. Additionally, RCR has earned one pole, 20 top-five and 41 top-10 finishes in 111 combined starts at the high-banked one-mile oval. Childress, a former driver in NASCAR's top division, contributed three of those top 10s from 1976-1980. Last fall, all three RCR-prepared entries finished in the top 10. Harvick, Clint Bowyer and Burton finished sixth, eighth and ninth, respectively in the Sept., 21, 2008 Sprint Cup Series race at the Dover facility.
Saying Thanks … Prior to Sunday's AAA 400, Harvick will make an appearance in Dover International Speedway's Hospitality Tent Village to meet members of the National Fallen Firefighter Foundation. This marks the second year the track is hosting members of the organization at an NSCS event. The NFFF exists to help the families and colleagues of the nearly 100 firefighters who lose their lives in the line of duty each year across the country. Harvick's father, Mike, is a retired firefighter.
Fuel My Passion… Shell V-Power is holding the "Fuel My Passion" Contest and Sweepstakes for those who are passionate about their ride. Prizes include free Shell V-Power premium gasoline for a year and a chance to win an all-new 2010 Harley-Davidson® Fat Boy® Lo motorcycle. The promotion runs through November 3, 2009. You can visit www.shell.us/fuelmypassion for more details.
RCR Celebrates 40 Years with Fans … In honor of its 40th anniversary, RCR will host a Fan Day at the Welcome, N.C. complex on Thurs., Oct. 22 from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. EDT. 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 finishing results, check us out at www.twitter.com/RCRRacing. To receive live updates about the No. 29 Shell-Pennzoil team during NSCS races, follow us at www.twitter.com/RCR29KHarvick.
Up to Speed … Live coverage of the AAA 400 from Dover International Speedway begins Sunday, Sept. 27 at 1 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time and will be telecast live on ABC. The event will also be broadcast live on the Motor Racing Network and Sirius XM Satellite Radio. Qualifying for the 28th points-paying race on the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series tour will be broadcast live on ESPN2 Friday, Sept. 25 beginning at 3 p.m. EDT and can be heard worldwide on MRN and Sirius XM Satellite Radio.
Kevin Harick Quotes
Do you think Dover is more like Bristol or Richmond?
"Dover is like a big Bristol. It is a place where you can lean on the banking a lot. You have to make your car turn and, as the race goes on, the track changes a lot as it takes rubber. You have to keep up with the race track as the rubber builds."
What is tricky about Dover?
"Getting the balance on the car right. Just running your car free enough where you can get back on the throttle in the middle of the corner and get off the corner without pushing the front tires. It's a pretty sensitive race track and it is tough to get the balance right."
When you go in to the corners at Dover there is an obvious drop off. Do you feel like you are driving up hill?
"You do come out of a hole coming off the corners. Going in to Turn 1 is a pretty drastic transition. There is a big bump going into Turn 1, but you come up off the corners and drive up the hill."
Is it hard to avoid accidents when they happen at Dover?
"Things happen really fast. There really isn't a lot you can do, but you can usually tell when something is getting ready to happen in front of you. The real trouble spots are driving in too deep under someone getting in and washing up, getting a bad push or loose off the corners. The track is self cleaning with all the banking, so it's hard to get out of the way if you are in the groove and it all starts coming down the hills."
Dover has a new pit road this year. It's longer and wider, with SAFER barriers. How much did the track need to improve that situation?
"It was pretty bad. You're holding a Sprint Cup Series race and you don't have enough pit stalls on pit road for all the cars. That's one of the regulations I'm glad NASCAR is being more stringent on. If you don't have enough pit stalls, you don't get a race. If you don't have sufficient garages or the barriers in place, you shouldn't even be in the running for a race. I'm glad to see they fixed that and stepped it up and it's good."