News and Media Releases
Pre-Race Notes - Sylvania 300
15/09/2009
Event/Date: Sylvania 300 - September 20, 2009 Venue: New Hampshire Motor Speedway - Loudon, N.H.
Notes
This Week's Shell-Pennzoil Chevrolet at New Hampshire Motor Speedway … Kevin Harvick will pilot Chassis No. 285 from the Richard Childress Racing NASCAR Sprint Cup Series stable this weekend. In its first appearance since being built a few weeks ago, Harvick drove this car to a ninth-place finish at Richmond International Raceway last weekend.
Stat Facts … In 17 NSCS races at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, Harvick has earned one win (fall 2006), one pole (fall 2006), three top-five and nine top-10 finishes. Additionally, the 11-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series winner has earned a 13.1 starting average and a 13.8 finishing average and has completed all but 49 laps at New England's "Magic Mile" during that span. Harvick has finished in the top 20 in 13 of those 17 events, and led 318 laps.
Loop Data …
- Harvick is second in the number of laps led at NHMS over the past nine NSCS races. During that time, he's led 251 of a possible 2,665 laps (9.4 percent). Only Tony Stewart has led more in that four-year span.
- Harvick has the sixth-best Driver Rating (96.9 average) of all active drivers over the past nine NSCS races at NHMS, determined by a formula combining the following categories: Wins, Finishes, Top-15 Finishes, Average Running Position While on Lead Lap, Average Speed Under Green, Fastest Lap, Led Most Laps and Lead-Lap Finishes.
- Only three drivers (Jimmie Johnson, Ryan Newman and Kurt Busch) have better average starting positions over the past nine NSCS races at NHMS. Harvick and Denny Hamlin both have a 9.6 average starting position during that span.
RCR at NHMS… Richard Childress Racing has made a collective 70 starts since the first race at the one-mile oval in 1993. Since then, RCR-prepared cars have three victories; the first by Robby Gordon in November 2001, the second by Kevin Harvick in September 2006 and third by Clint Bowyer in September 2007. RCR has only two poles here, which both led to victories by Harvick and Bowyer. The team has earned 11 top-five and 27 top-10 finishes, has an average start of 19.1 and finish of 16.1, completed 20,267 of 20,535 laps contested (98.7 percent) and led 17 races for 742 laps.
Summing Up the Season … In the season's first 26 events, Harvick has earned three top-five and five top-10 finishes. He has recorded a 21.2 starting average to go along with a 21.5 finishing average and has led 75 laps. He has completed 7,089 of 7,336 laps (96.6 percent) this season and earned over $4.4 million in purse money.
The Collective RCR … In 26 races this season, RCR's four NASCAR Sprint Cup Series entries have notched nine top-five and 25 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 28,498 laps with four different drivers including Jeff Burton, Bowyer, Harvick and Casey Mears. RCR teams have led 188 laps and all four teams have earned just over $14.9 million combined purse money in 2009.
Record-Holder … The Bakersfield, Calif., native holds the NASCAR Nationwide Series qualifying record at NHMS. This record was set May 11, 2001 when Harvick recorded a fast lap of 29.138 seconds (130.716 mph) at the 1.058-mile New England track.
Welcome Home, Matt … RCR's Director of Human Performance and Leadership Development Matt Clark hails from North Haven, Conn., located approximately 190 miles southwest of NHMS. Clark, who joined the Welcome, N.C.-based operation in 2008, is charged with assembling and coaching RCR's Sprint Cup and Nationwide Series' over-the-wall pit crews. Clark also led the CAT Racing over-the-wall team to the 2009 Pit Crew Challenge championship in May. Clark is a graduate of Carter Oak Stage College in New Britain, Conn. and, before making the jump to motorsports, he was the assistant athletic director, sports information director and assistant baseball coach for Albertus Magnus College in New Haven.
Birthday Boys … Several crew members from the No. 29 Shell-Pennzoil team celebrate birthdays this week. Jackman Carey Wimbish turned 28 on Sunday, September 13 and Wayne Harron, who provides pit support on race days, turns 26 on Tuesday, September 15. Crew chief Gil Martin shares a birthday, September 17, with RCR's business director of competition, Will Lind. Team owner Richard Childress will also celebrate a birthday next Monday, September 21.
Back in the Saddle … In addition to his duties behind the wheel of the RCR No. 29 Shell-Pennzoil Chevrolet, Harvick will pilot his own No. 2 Kevin Harvick, Inc. Chevrolet Silverado in Saturday's Heluva Good! 200 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series event at NHMS. The event can be seen live on SPEED, Saturday, September 19 at 3 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time, and will be broadcast on the Performance Racing Network and Sirius XM Satellite Radio. Qualifying for the event will air live on SPEED, beginning at 10 a.m. EDT the same day.
"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.
Catch the Action … The SYLVANIA 300 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway will be televised live Sunday, September 20, beginning at 1 p.m. EDT on ABC and will be broadcast live on PRN and Sirius XM Satellite Radio. Qualifying for the 27th of 36 NSCS events will begin at 3 p.m. EDT Friday, September 18, and will be telecast live on ESPN2.
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.
Kevin Harvick Quotes
You have nine top-10 finishes at New Hampshire in NSCS events. Is it safe to say you look forward to going there?
"It's been a really good race track for us from a company standpoint at RCR. Clint's run really well there and, obviously, we've run well there. It's a place we go to and expect to run in the top five."
Do you feel like the flat tracks are a strong point at RCR?
"That's always been our strongest point - the Loudon, Richmond, Phoenix-type race tracks. We've always been fairly competitive at those places. That's how we knew we were off from where we needed to be was when we got to Phoenix this year and didn't perform well. Those tracks are usually our best, so that's when we knew we had a real problem."
Can you talk about how you are willing to give someone the inside line in Turn 2 to be able to pass them coming off the corner?
"The hard part of running the low line in Turn 2 is with the transition of the progressive banking, the car 'unloads' when you have to run the bottom like that coming up off the corner. So, you can get through the center really good, but as you get to the exit of the corner, the back end of the car breaks loose and it's hard to complete a pass."
What do you like about racing at New Hampshire Motor Speedway?
"I like this type of track because it's flat. I started my racing career on flat tracks out west. We've always had a fair amount of success at New Hampshire, so that always makes it fun to go back."