Race: 1 of 35
Driver: Kevin Harvick
Started: 9th
Finished: 21st
Owner’s Point Standings: 21st

Next on Schedule
Date: February 23, 2008
Track: California Speedway
Event Name: Stater Bros. 300
Driver: Kevin Harvick

Broadcast Time: 7:00 p.m., ET ESPN2 and MRN Radio

Harvick Scores 21st-place Finish in Season Opener at Daytona

Daytona Beach, Fla. (February 18, 2008) — Kicking off the 2008 season, the NASCAR Nationwide Series unloaded at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway on Tuesday, February 12, to prepare for the Camping World 300 on Saturday, February 16, 2008.

Teams entered the track Tuesday morning, unloading the cars and spending the day going through NASCAR inspection. Kevin Harvick Inc. (KHI) co-owner Kevin Harvick took to the track for the first practice session on Wednesday afternoon and the No. 33 Camping World Chevrolet proved to be ready for the start of the 2008 season. Harvick took to the track for 10 laps and posted the third quickest time with a lap of time of 48.619 (185.113 mph). The team made little adjustments and Harvick was back on track Thursday for final Nationwide Series practice. Harvick was 10th on the leader board for final Nationwide Series practice with a lap time of 48.569 (185.303).

Nationwide Series qualifying took place Friday, February 15, to set the 43-car field for the Camping World 300. Taking to the track 27th, Harvick placed the No. 33 Camping World Chevrolet 10th on the starting grid for Saturday’s race. Following qualifying, several cars were found with infractions, having their times disqualified and allowed the No. 33 Camping World Chevrolet to start the event from the ninth position.

Harvick wasted little time when the green flag waved and by lap two had moved into the third position. On lap 17, while riding in the eighth position, Harvick radioed to crew chief Wally Rogers that the car was “pretty tight off the corners.” Continuing to stay in the top 10, Harvick relayed to Rogers on lap 23 that he needed a few adjustments to the car, including air pressure and track bar adjustments.

On lap 37, under green-flag conditions, the No. 33 Camping Word team made their first scheduled pit stop of the 2008 season. Harvick entered pit road from the ninth position and the team put on four tires, fuel and made an air pressure adjustment. With a concern of tire conditions, Harvick asked Rogers how the tires looked after returning to the track, and Rogers replied that the “tires look good.” While running in the eighth position on lap 50, Harvick had to return to pit road after learning the car was not completely filled with fuel during the previous stop. The team again changed four tires and added fuel. As a result of the unscheduled stop, the No. 33 Camping World Chevrolet went one lap down.

The first caution of the day came on lap 54, when the No. 14 of David Gilliland and the No. 70 of Mark Green were caught up in a wreck in turn two. The Camping World Chevrolet returned to pit road from the 32nd position to take on four tires and fuel. Returning to green-flag conditions on lap 58, Harvick was in the 30th position. On lap 59, Harvick moved the No. 33 Camping World Chevrolet into the 25th position, the first car one lap down. Harvick let Rogers know on lap 70 that the previous changes made caused the car to become tighter than it was earlier in the race.

The second caution of the day waved on lap 77 for debris on the backstretch. With Harvick in the 25th position, he received the “lucky dog” allowing him to return to the lead lap. Encouraging the team to take their time, Harvick said “Good job guys. Take your time on this stop and make sure you get it right.” On lap 80, Harvick headed down pit road asking the team to go back on the previous changes that were made to the car to improve handling. With the green flag waving on lap 84, teams could officially make it to the end of the race without needing to stop for fuel. Unfortunately, the handling of the No. 33 Camping World Chevrolet did not improve and continued to be tight. On lap 96, the third caution of the day came for debris in turn two. Harvick entered pit road from the 21st position and the crew gave the car four new tires, fuel, a track bar adjustment and an air pressure adjustment. The No. 33 restarted 22nd on lap 100. Two laps later, Harvick reentered the top-20 taking over the 19th position. Continuing to move forward, Harvick moved into the 15th position with 10 laps remaining in the race.

With nine laps remaining in the season opener, Harvick was caught in a multi-car accident in turn four suffering front-end damage. The team made several pit stops to work on the hood and change four tires. The green flag was waved for the final time on lap 114 with Harvick in the 24th position. Gaining three positions in the closing laps, Harvick brought the No. 33 Camping World Chevrolet home in the 21st position.