Pre-Race Notes - Pepsi 500

• Notes

Notes

This Week's No. 29 Shell/Pennzoil Chevrolet Impala SS at Auto Club Speedway … Kevin Harvick will pilot Chassis No. 288 from the Richard Childress Racing NASCAR Sprint Cup Series stable.  Built new this season, this car will be making its on-track debut this weekend.

Stat Facts for the Track … In 14 NSCS starts at Auto Club Speedway, Harvick has tallied one top-five and four top-10 finishes while leading four races for a total of 32 laps. He has completed 3,434 of 3,505 (98 percent) laps contested and has an average start of 19.9 and 19.4 average finish. To his credit, Harvick posted his best start, fourth, in February 2007 and best finish, fourth, in this race last year.

Laying Down the Loop Data … Through the last nine races at Auto Club Speedway, Harvick has the following noteworthy stats;

• 11th highest average running position of 14.164
• 12th fastest driver early in a run with average speed of 173.593 mph
• Eight fastest driver on restarts at 170.392 mph
• Ninth highest rated driver for most laps in the top 15 running there for 1,513 of 2255 laps (67.1 percent)
• Leads all drivers for most passes in Turn 1 with 113 made, eighth in Turn 3 with 46 and ranked fourth with 185 passes in Turn 4 at ACS.

Glancing in the Rearview Mirror … In 29 NSCS starts this season, Harvick has an average starting position of 21.4 and an average finish of 21.6. He's completed 8,050 of the 8,303 laps contested in those events (97 percent), posting three top five and five top-10 finishes.

The Collective RCR … In 29 races this season, RCR's four NASCAR Sprint Cup Series entries have notched nine top-five and 26 top-10 finishes.  The No. 29 team kicked off the 2009 season with a win in the Budweiser Shootout at Daytona.  RCR-prepared cars have also completed 31,239 laps with four different drivers including Burton, Bowyer, Harvick and Casey Mears. RCR teams have led 188 laps and all four teams have earned just shy of $16 million combined purse money in 2009.

Double the Fun in the California Sun … In addition to his duties behind the wheel of the Shell-Pennzoil Chevrolet, Harvick returns to the seat of the No. 33 Rheem Chevy for this Saturday's NASCAR Nationwide Series race at Auto Club Speedway.

Come Say "Hi" to Harvick … The first 150 people to purchase a No. 33 Camping World die-cast for $20 on Saturday, October 10 from 9:00 a.m. until Noon at the Camping World store, located on track property, will receive a ticket to the Kevin Harvick autograph session in the same location on Sunday, October 11, from 8:45  to 9:45 a.m.

Kevin's Krew Get Together in Cali … As part of a continued program with Shell-Pennzoil, Harvick will host a group of at-risk children called "Kevin's Krew" for Sunday's race at Auto Club Speedway. The children will take part in various activities before meeting their favorite driver at the Victory Lane area just before driver introductions.

Harvick Returning to Where it All Began … For the past few years, the driver of the No. 29 Shell-Pennzoil Chevrolet has lent his support to a high school racing series in his hometown of Bakersfield, Cali. On Wednesday, Oct. 7, he will host the Kern County Youth Racing Series at Bakersfield Speedway by attending their practice session and then race against them later in the evening. The series aides high school students to learn every aspect of racing from car design and building to safety and, of course, how to drive. Contact the track at www.bakersfieldspeedway.com for more information about the event.

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.

Vote for No. 29 Shop Foreman … Andrew Mason, the shop foreman for the No. 29 Chevrolet team, is one of eight finalists for the inaugural NASCAR Wrenchman Award, recognizing the behind-the-scenes NASCAR team members who "turn the wrenches" in the shop and along pit row.  Fans can choose the winner by logging onto www.craftsman.com/wrenchman and voting for their favorite team member. By voting, fans will also be automatically entered for a chance to win an all-expenses paid trip for two to the Wrenchman Award Ceremony in Miami on November 22.

Congrats, Chevrolet! ... Tony Stewart's victory at Kansas Speedway last weekend clinched the 2009 Manufacturers' Championship for Chevrolet in NASCAR's premier division.  Chevrolet collected its 33rd Manufacturers' crown, the most ever by any automobile manufacturer in the sport.  It marks Team Chevy's seventh consecutive NASCAR Sprint Cup Manufacturers' title for the Bowtie Brigade.  The 2009 Manufacturers' Championship continues Chevrolet's dominance of North America's most popular racing series.

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.

Tune in for the Win … Coverage of the 500-mile race begins at 2:30 p.m. EDT on ABC-TV this Sunday, Oct. 11, with the green flag set for 3:15 p.m. EDT. The race will be broadcast on MRN and Sirius XM Satellite Radio. Qualifying will be telecast live on ESPN2 Friday, Oct. 9 beginning at 4:30 p.m. EDT and on MRN and Sirius XM NASCAR Radio Ch. 128.

Kevin Harvick Quotes

How tough is Auto Club Speedway on the engines?

"This place and Michigan are probably the two toughest places that we go on engines.  The race is 500 miles, so it creates a challenge for the engine builders.  You have to get your car handling good, the power of the car here is very important, and you have to weigh in the reliability factor. When we run our engines on the reliability dyno, Michigan is where we run it, which is very similar to here."

How do you treat racing in Fontana near family and friends?

"It is nice to go out there, but I don't treat it as time to get to see my family and friends.  I treat it as a job and go out like everybody else.  We get there the day before everything starts on track, so I don't spend a lot of time with them.  It is cool to have them all there and, obviously, we are supported well there, but we still have to go out and make it happen."

On winning at Auto Club Speedway: 

"It is nice to come home. Anytime you can come home and race in front of your family and friends you want to win. We have been up and down here.  We have run really well here, and we have run really bad here.  It is nice to come home and see all of your family and friends and be able to celebrate a fantastic win."

How have your races been at Auto Club Speedway?

"Well, I like the track but it's just one of those places where we have struggled the past three or four years and it's been hit or miss. And, on the days that we have been good, it just seems like we can't get the results."

Do you think California and Michigan are similar? "Well turns one and two at California are a lot different than Michigan.  It's low on grip and then you wind up with the front tires pushing and it's just a unique corner.  In turns three and four, you can take some of the things you learned in Michigan and apply them here.  I think the engine package and half the race track is similar.  However, the asphalt is different and not quite as worn out as it is as Michigan, so you don't get the same type of feel that you do from inside the car."