Category: Post-Race Reports
06/26/10
LOUDON, N.H. (June 28, 2010) — Kevin Harvick and the No. 33 Kevin Harvick Inc. (KHI) team came to Loudon, New Hampshire with high hopes. Entering the weekend with a successful stat list at the one-mile New England track, Harvick ran the fastest lap of the field during the final practice session and with a fast car, qualified in the third position for the New England 200. Competitively running in the top five for most of the race, including leading laps, Harvick fought changing car conditions and lapped traffic to finish the race in the seventh position.
At the start of the race, weather conditions were unfavorable with rain showers surrounding the track. Despite the scattered showers, the race started on time with cool track conditions, which were different from the previous hot and sunny conditions experienced during practice and qualifying sessions. Starting from the third position, Harvick actively started working towards the front. By the completion of lap one, he was in second place but started realizing the effects of the cooler weather and changed car conditions as he fought competitors in the top-five spots. Harvick’s main feedback on the car the first quarter of the race was that the handling was “loose.”
Feeling more comfortable with the car on lap 44, Harvick took the lead and fought off attacks from Kyle Busch in the No. 18 car to retain the lead. “He (Busch) rolls through (turns) 3 and 4 better while you’re good in 1 and 2,” explained crew chief Ernie Cope. With this information, Harvick began relaying more feedback on the handling of the car, notably that it was not “taking off” the way he would like.
Continuing to run up front, Harvick began voicing frustration on lap 65 when encountering lap traffic and unable to make passes while racing the tight turns of the 1.058-mile oval. On lap 77, the team entered the pits for four fresh tires and fuel with Harvick telling Cope he can’t be any tighter, but needs to take off better. With green-flag stops cycling through the field, Harvick ran second behind leader Busch on lap 88.
The second caution of the race waved on lap 94 and with the car not handling to Harvick’s liking in traffic, the team again pitted for four tires and fuel. Harvick restarted sixth on lap 99.
With a fast car, but stuck in traffic, Harvick moved into fifth by lap 113. Able to get to the bumper of fourth place Carl Edwards, the No. 33 car remained too tight to pass underneath the No. 60 car. Continuing to run fifth with some of the fastest lap times on the track, the caution again waved on lap 147. The team again pitted for four tires and fuel. Running third on lap 153, Harvick continued to struggle on the restart as Cope informed him that rain was in the area.
Battling to remain in the top five, Harvick was fifth when the final caution waved on lap 178. Explaining to Cope that he was too loose at the beginning of the run, Harvick restarted the race on lap 184. Slipping a few position, Harvick crossed the finish line seventh.
Busch won the race followed by Brad Keselowski, Edwards, Joey Logano and Trevor Bayne.
STATS RECAP
June 26, 2010
New Hampshire Motor Speedway
New England 200
Race: 16 of 35
Driver: Kevin Harvick
Started: 3rd
Finished: 7th
Owner’s Point Standings: 5th (- 1 spots, 260 points out of 1st)
Race length: 200 laps/211.6 miles
Banking: 12-degrees in the turns
2-degrees on the straight-a-ways
Track layout: 1.058 mile
Shape: Oval
Number of Laps Led: Two Times for 6 Laps
Number of Race Cautions: 4 for 16 Laps
First Practice: 2nd (127.825 seconds; 29.797 mph)
Final Practice: 1st (128.998 seconds; 29.526 mph)
Qualifying: 3rd (128.867 seconds; 29.556 mph)
Next on the Nationwide Series Schedule:
Date: July 2, 2010
Track: Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway
Event Name: Subway Jalapeno 250 Powered by Coca-Cola
Driver: Kevin Harvick
Sponsor: Rheem Swimming Pool Heaters Chevrolet
Broadcast Time: 7:30 p.m., ET on ESPN and 7:30 p.m., ET on MRN Radio