Showing posts with label Kevin Harvick. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Kevin Harvick. Show all posts
Kevin Harvick

Lock it in Kevin Harvick. The 2014 Champion will join Jimmie Johnson in the Round of 8 after a win in Sunday's Hollywood Casino 400 at Kansas Speedway. The No. 4 jumped in front of then-leader Carl Edwards on a late race restart, and held on through the final 30 laps for his fourth win on the year. "These races are hard to win and these guys are so good at the details," said Harvick, "When you put their backs against the wall they're even better. I'm so proud of them." Harvick has never been eliminated under the current Chase format, racing for a Championship at Homestead each of the past two seasons.

Carl Edwards and Kyle Busch

Carl Edwards will just have to wait a little longer for a win at his home track, after losing the lead to Kevin Harvick on a late race restart. "That last restart Kevin and Jimmie (Johnson) just lined up on the bottom and they got far enough ahead to where I couldn't hang on the outside," said Edwards after his second place finish on Sunday. "And I ended up having to race Kyle (Busch) really hard there for a few laps and it let Kevin get out ahead." Rather than try and chase down the No. 4, Edwards spent the rest of the afternoon fending off Busch for the final 30 laps. "That's racing I guess," said Busch of the back and forth. This isn't the first time we've seen the JGR teammates race one another hard. Edwards famously bumped the No. 18 on the final lap of the TOYOTA OWNERS 400 at Richmond International Raceway to secure his second win of the season.

Brad Keselowski

It'd been nearly two years since the No. 2 hadn't finished a NASCAR Sprint Cup event, but for the first time since the 2015 Daytona 500 Brad Keselowski suffered a DNF in Sunday's Hollywood Casino 400. Heading into the cutoff race in Talladega, the 2012 Champion is sitting 11th and eight points behind Joey Logano in the 8th position. On the plus side, Keselowski took home the May race at 'Dega, and is the only repeat winner in the last 11 races at the track. After a strong season racing on superspeedways (two wins in three races), he's got as strong a chance as any to race his way into the Round of 8.

Talladega

Five races down, five to go. We've reached the midway point in the Chase and there's plenty of intrigue as the postseason makes the turn down the backstretch. The Joe Gibbs Racing Toyotas, who were so dominant in the regular season, have been consistent but unremarkable through the Chase's first half. The only exception would be Martin Truex Jr, who is one of three Chase race winners we've seen along with former champions Kevin Harvick and Jimmie Johnson. Two of the Chase newbies are gone, and the two remaining are in danger of missing the cut come Sunday. The cutoff race in Talladega looms large as we move one step closer to crowning the NASCAR's 2016 Cup Champion.
5:13 PM
Kevin Harvick

Harvick Gets Lucky in Loudon
Make that two tickets punched to the Round of 12. Kevin Harvick joins Martin Truex Jr. as a lock to advance to the next round of the Chase for the Sprint Cup with his win in New Hampshire Sunday. Harvick overtook race leader Matt Kenseth - who was gunning for his third straight Loudon win - off the final restart with five laps to go and held on for his third victory of the season. “For me, it was just a smooth restart,” Harvick said. “I just didn’t want to spin the tires. I feel like the performance of the car and the things that we’re doing are good enough to be competitive, and we just need to not make mistakes and go from there.” It was Harvick’s 34th career Sprint Cup Series win and second at NHMS, with his last coming in 2006.

Elliott Sadler

An emotional Elliott Sadler celebrated history over the weekend, becoming the first driver to win a race under the new XFINITY Series Chase format."We fought through a lot tonight," Sadler said in Victory Lane. "I'm going to get a little emotional on you, I've been in the hospital all week with my mom in ICU watching her fight and fight through a lot of pain and suffering. (She) made her way back home tonight to watch the race. Mom, I love you. She leads so much by example." The Emporia, VA native expertly navigated his way through a caution-filled battle for the 13th win of his XFINITY career.

Clint Bowyer and Tony Stewart

The season's not over yet, but there's already been news of some big changes coming in 2017 with Stewart-Haas Racing front racing. Clint Bowyer will be behind the wheel of the 14 once the "Smoke" clears, and it'll be running on a Roush Yates Ford. NASCAR takes a look at these and a few other changes coming down the pipeline this winter.

Jamie Mcmurray, Austin Dillon, Tony Stewart and Chris Buescher

The field will get a little tighter after this weekend's race in Dover as four drivers will be eliminated from Chase contention. With two first-timers and a future Hall of Famer on the cusp of elimination, we could see some monster action at the "Monster Mile." Less than 20 points separate 7th-place Denny Hamlin from 13th-place Jamie McMurray, so don't be surprised to see some serious shake-ups before the Round of 12 is officially underway.
2:49 PM
The action was fast and furious during Fan Appreciation Weekend at Richmond International Raceway. The energy from the track to the crowd was electric as sparks flew, tempers flared and 40 of the world’s most talented athletes roared around America’s Premier Short Track in one of the more memorable NASCAR regular season finales.

From the dramatic four-wide salute to furious four-wide racing, it was some of the best racing of the NASCAR season. The consensus from fans, drivers, and media was the action is truly back at “The Action Track!”




The Action Track is Back


http://www.foxsports.com/nascar/story/richmond-provides-endless-chase-storylines-091316

http://nascar.nbcsports.com/2016/09/11/what-drivers-said-after-richmond-race/
www.dailypress.com/sports/dp-spt-rir-follow-0912-20160911-story.html

http://nascar.nbcsports.com/2016/09/11/what-drivers-said-after-richmond-race/
http://www.richmond.com/sports/auto-racing/nascar/article_42db6390-6ba8-5c24-a4fc-7fc3103d0b70.html

http://nascar.nbcsports.com/2016/09/11/what-drivers-said-after-richmond-race/
http://www.foxsports.com/nascar/story/tony-stewart-ryan-newman-chase-show-why-ugly-new-beautiful-chicagoland-richmond-sprint-cup-091216








Credit: SiriusXM NASCAR Radio





9:33 AM
Double Burnout
Even Mother Nature was no match for Kevin Harvick, who raced his way to his second win on the season in the rain-delayed Bass Pro Shops NRA Night Race at Bristol. "We should have won a lot of races this year, but things did not go our way," Harvick said. "We made mistakes or whatever the case may be, (so) to get back into Victory Lane feels good." Apparently it was good enough to share too. After the race, Harvick encouraged fellow driver and team owner Tony Stewart to celebrate Stewart's final race at Bristol. The result? A synchronized burnout to remember. "I really wanted him to ride around that track with me, but that's why he's the boss," said Harvick.

Chris Buescher

After shocking the NASCAR world with a win at Pocono two weeks ago, Chris Buescher continued his meteoric rise into the Chase conversation with a fifth place showing at Bristol. "We're out here to get a championship and to get wins, " Buescher said. "We come to these next handful of races with a great opportunity to make the Chase." The finish put him inside the top-30 in points, and should he protect that standing through Michigan, Darlington and Richmond - we'll see this rookie standing among the field of 16 following the Federated Auto Parts 400 checkered flag.

Elliott Sadler

There's something to be said for stability, and that's exactly what JR Motorsports and XFINITY Series driver Elliott Sadler established Wednesday. Longtime sponsor One Main financial inked a multi-year deal to return with Sadler and the team owned by Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Kelley Earnhardt Miller.  "We are thrilled to continue our partnership with Elliott Sadler and JR Motorsports," said OneMain Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Bob Hurzeler. "Elliott has been an outstanding ambassador for OneMain and we look forward to our continued success with Elliott and JRM, on and off the track." The Emporia, VA native currently sits atop the XFINITY Series points standings, 51 points ahead of second place Daniel Suarez.

Alex Bowman

Jeff Gordon is out, Alex Bowman is in. With Dale Earnhardt Jr. still working his way back onto the track, Alex Bowman will fill in behind the wheel of the No. 88 this weekend in Michigan. Gordon has filled in for the past four races, while Bowman subbed for Junior at New Hampshire Motor Speedway earlier this season.

If the season ended today, Austin Dillon, Chase Elliott, Jamie McMurray and Ryan Newman would be in, leaving the likes of Trevor Bayne and Kyle Larson on the outside. But with three races left, there's a chance someone could win their way into the Chase. Guess you'll just have to be there to find out.
7:07 PM
One. Hundred. Posts.
It's a big deal, so we wanted to celebrate our centennial post with a look back at some of the highlights from our first nine months.
ALSO
Don't forget to comment below to join in the celebration... and earn a chance to win a special prize!

Kevin Harvick

Sure, Junior's won NASCAR's Most Popular Driver award 13 years running, but the RIR honors go to.... (drumroll please).... Kevin Harvick! The 2014 Sprint Cup Champ has made in appearance in 15 (well, technically 16 now) of our 100 entries so far. I guess racing in back-to-back Championships helps keep your name top of mind in NASCAR circles.

February

We've been churning out content since we launched "Over the Wall" last August, but we really put our nose to the grind back in February. Between early season announcements and 2016 Speedweeks, we graced the blogosphere with 24 entries. That's three more than any other month thus far (April 2016 comes in at P2), so it'd make sense that our next award would go to...

2016 Speedweeks

The RIR crew road tripped it down to central Florida for the season's launch and took our readers along for the ride. With daily storylines, photos, videos and more - our 2016 Speedweeks coverage included everything from Media Day through the Daytona 500.

Marty Smith

"I'm a Virginian. Born. Raised. Educated: school and sanctuary and stadium." Few have been able to explain the storied history of racing in the Commonwealth as profoundly as ESPN's Marty Smith, who guest wrote an article for RIR earlier this year. With over 2,800 views, his Dashboard Confessional is far and away the most viewed entry on our blog, and it's easy to see why.

How Bout That Pre-Race?

Trent Harmon's moving National Anthem performance prior to the 2016 TOYOTA OWNERS 400 created a lot of buzz on event day, so it's no wonder our Pre-Race Ceremony recap has been the most popular post on social media to date. No other entry has scored higher engagement on Facebook and Twitter and, like his performance, it'll be a tough one to top.

Dale Junio Prize Pack

To keep the celebration going, we're throwing it back to the 100th Cup race at RIR, the 2006 Crown Royal 400 won by the one and only Dale Earnhardt Jr.

Congratulations to Jacob Spears, winner of out 100th Blog Post Contest!!
12:56 PM
Just another day in the desert for Kevin Harvick, who has now won five of the last six contests at Phoenix International Raceway. The 2014 Champion edged out Carl Edwards by a mere .010 seconds, the same margin of Denny Hamlin's victory or Martin Truex Jr. in the Daytona 500. ""I knew I needed to get a good run off the (final) corner and that I was going to have to get into his door. And it worked out, just barely," said Harvick. It was Harvick's eighth win at the track- extending his own record in NASCAR's top series.

Chase Elliott and Ryan Blaney have impressed so far in their young careers.

When we were in Daytona for Speedweeks at the season's start- there was a lot of chatter surrounding the exciting 2016 rookie class. Chase Elliott and Ryan Blaney proved why on Sunday by each finishing inside the top-10 in the Good Sam 500. "My guys have been bringing such fast race cars to the racetrack every week since Daytona, and I haven't been doing a very good job of getting the finishes that they deserve," said Elliott. It was the first time since October 2014 that two rookies finished inside the top 10. The race was Blaney's second consecutive top 10.

Kyle Busch not satisfied with success so far in 2016

He's led in every race this season. He's finished inside the top-5 in every race this season. But the defending NASCAR champion hasn't come away with a win in any race this season- and he's not having it. “You could be happy with top-five and you could be happy with running up front and doing those things," said Kyle Busch “Those are the things you're supposed to do, but ultimately we've got to get to Victory Lane." Busch is currently tied with Sunday's race winner, Kevin Harvick, atop the NASCAR points standings, but for someone who earned five victories in 25 starts during last season's championship run, he's ready for the wins to start flowing in.

The low downforce package should shine in California

Asphalt baking under the California sun has led to some excellent on-track action in Fontana, and NASCAR's low downforce package should only make things even more exciting. As the race goes on and the track gets slick, fans can expect to see quite a show on Sunday. Kyle Busch, who's excelled racing with the new package at each stop this season, could be due for his third Fontana win in four years on Sunday.
12:16 PM

Jimmie Johnson ties Dale Earnhardt for all0time career wins 

The career accolades on Jimmie Johnson's Wikipedia page already rivaled that of the all-time great athletes. Six-time champion (territory Michael Jordan is familiar with), five-time Driver of the Year (Mickey Mantle had three MVP awards) and he's the only driver to have qualified for the Chase every year since it's inception in 2004 (the kind postseason run Bill Belichick is familiar with). But with his win Sunday, Johnson found himself in truly hallowed company- tying Dale Earnhardt Sr. with 76 career Cup wins. "I don't have a problem calling him the best of this generation even as a competitor of his and having to go out there and race against him,"said Dale Earnhardt Jr.

Drivers had glowing reviews of the on-track action in Atlanta
NASCAR debuted its new low downforce package at the Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 in Atlanta on Sunday- and the drivers loved it. "We were sideways, sliding around, the cars were moving," said Joey Logano, started 27th but raced his way into the top five without a caution. "This is real racing. We're driving hard. That's a tough race and just a lot of fun," said Carl Edwards, who finished fifth on Sunday.

The new downforce package reminds Brad Keselowski of the 70's

Almost every driver had glowing reviews of how their cars handled with the new downforce package in Atlanta, noting how it felt like a throwback to the racing of yesteryear. None were more explicit in their comparison than Brad Keselowski, who suggested the racing style might even inspire a new look for the Penske driver. "That race felt like I was in 1975.  That was kind of awesome.  I should grow my sideburns out after that one." We decided to see what it'd look like if he did, and we think he could pull it off.

Kevin Harvick dominated the West Coast swing last season.

NASCAR kicks off it's West Coast swing this weekend in Vegas, and eyes will be on Kevin Harvick to see if he can replicate last season's run. The No. 4 dominated the desert in 2015, leading 366 laps between wins at Vegas and Phoenix before snagging a second-place finish in Fontana. With two top-10's to start the season (including an impressive fourth-place run in Daytona) the 2014 Sprint Cup Champion could be poised to make a return trip to Victory Lane this weekend.
10:18 AM
A look at Kevin Harvick heading into the Sprint Cup Championship weekend.

2015 Rearview: There may not have been a more dominant car week after week than the No. 4. Leading the field in Top-5 (22) and Top-10 finishes (27), tell part of the story. The three wins and 12 second place showings tell the rest. In fact, Kevin Harvick has taken last year's run to his first Cup Championship and gotten even better. No he didn't match the gaudy pole awards (eight) from 2014, but his average starting position is nearly a full spot better than it was last season. He's set a new career marks in nearly every category, and were it not for an expired engine at Pocono (a race he was leading at the time) those numbers could look even better. There's little that Harvick hasn't accomplished this season, and every time a truly great performance has been needed, "The Closer" answers the call. He needed a win at Dover to advance in the Chase, and 355 laps led later he had just that. Now he has the opportunity to do what only 10 drivers have done in their careers, and repeat as NASCAR Champion. 

His Career: They say things get better with age, and that can certainly be said for Harvick's career. Since 2010, his age-34 season, he's seen multi-win campaigns every year but one (2012), and has finished third or better in points in those same seasons. Only Jimmie Johnson and Tony Stewart have more Chase wins to their name, and he has the chance to add a second Cup Championship trophy to his mantle. 

History at Homestead: Harvick's rattled off seven straight Top-10's, including the most important one of his career in last year's Sprint Cup Championship performance. In fact, the No. 4 driver has finished outside the Top-10 just twice in his 14 starts at the track. No other Chase competitor has dominated South Florida quite like the reigning champ, making him the odds-on favorite to take home the win this weekend.
12:48 PM



12:47 PM

A look at the chances of Keselowski, Harvick and Logano this weekend in Phoenix.

Last Week: After leading a track-record 312 of the race's 334 laps in dominating fashion, Brad Keselowski saw his Championship Round ticket flutter away into the Texas air when Jimmie Johnson took the lead with four laps to go. While the AAA Texas 500 was a rebound from the 32-place finish at Martinsville the week before, Keselowski still sits 19 points behind the fourth place Martin Trux Jr. Still, with a Top-10 finish in six of his last seven races at Phoenix point towards a strong showing from the No. 2 in the final Eliminator Round race.

Earlier This Year: It was the Kevin Harvick show. And the year before that. And the year before that. The defending champ has four straight wins at the one miler, and his seven total victories in Avondale are more than any other driver. Ever. Things look like a lock for the No.4 driver, but just remember -  folks were saying the same thing about Jimmie Johnnson heading into Dover.

Who To Watch: After dominating the Contender Round, things haven't gone as planned for Joey Logano's team during the first two legs of the Eliminator Round. Sitting 63 points behind Truex, his game plan is simple: win and get in. With four straight Top-10 showings at Phoenix, only Harvick and Keselowski have collected more points at the track during that span. Look for him to go after more than just points this time around.

12:53 PM
A look at Jeff Gordon, Kevin Harvick and Kyle Busch this weekend in Texas
Last Week: It took 33 races, but the Jeff Gordon swan song hit its highest note yet with a dramatic win in Martinsville. Leading 35 laps en route to his ninth grandfather clock, the future Hall of Famer described the victory “unlike anything he'd ever experienced.” But if we know Gordon, he's already turned his focus to the Great American Speedway. His lone Texas win came back in 2009, but he's nabbed two top-10's in his last three races at the Fort Worth track, so the odds of him building on his Chase momentum are strong.

Earlier This Year: Stop me if you've heard this before, but Kevin Harvick was certainly one to watch at the Duck Commander 500 earlier this year. While the No. 4 driver does have three wins on the year, it feels like he could have had a dozen. One of his twenty top-5 showings came back in April at Texas with a second place finish. While he has yet to find a win at there, his average finish is stronger than any other driver remaining in the Chase. This weekend is a good opportunity for the defending champ to secure a spot in the Championship Four and defend his title.

Who To Watch: There was a time earlier this season when it felt like Kyle Busch could run the table on the 2015 NASCAR Season. Momentum has slowed down a bit since the Joe Gibbs driver won four in a five race stretch back in June/July, but this weekend could be one where he kicks the tires and lights those Chase fires. With a win, eight top-5 finishes and a fourth place showing in last year's AAA Texas 500, he has a better Texas resume than any remaining Chase driver.
12:08 PM


A look at the chances for Joey Logano, Kevin Harvick and Jeff Gordon this weekend in Martinsville.

Last Week: Get your brooms out, cause we had ourselves a sweep. Logano took not one, not two but all three of the Contender Round races, culminating with his victory at Talladega. With four top-5's in just 13 Martinsville starts, including three in a row, he has the ability to keep the streak going this weekend.

Earlier This Year: While it was Denny Hamlin who took home his fifth grandfather clock after winning the STP 500 back in March, it was actually Kevin Harvick who paced all drivers with 154 laps led. Gordon is the only remaining Chase driver with more top-10 finishes at Martinsville, and he's earned three in his last four contests at the track.

Who To Watch: The same guy eyes have been on all season long. Jeff Gordon. IIt's hard to find a track on the circuit at which the ol' 24 hasn’t had a long line of success… that history just hasn't translated into a 2015 win. But with eight wins, seven poles and more top-10 finishes than any other driver at the half-miler, maybe Jeff can punch his ticket to the Championship round with a win at one of his favorite tracks.
3:14 PM
Joey Logano, Kevin Harvick, Jeff Gordon at Kansas

Last Week: We called Penske making some noise, and while Keselowki managed a top-10 finish it was teammate Joey Logano who brought the hammer in Charlotte. Five-time winner Matt Kenseth had the early advantage, but contact with Ryan Newman sent him into the outside wall and the No. 20 driver was forced to leave the contest early. Logano seized the opportunity and lead a race-high 227 laps en route to his fourth win of the season.

Earlier This Year: It might have been Jimmie Johnson who took home that killer Spongebob trophy back in May, we all remember the one, Kevin Harvick had an equally impressive showing at Kansas earlier this season. The 56 laps led was just the latest in a string of strong performances in Kansas City. The defending champion has earned the pole in three of the last four races, with a win and a pair of second place finishes during that span.

Who To Watch: Remember Ryan Newman's 2014 run? Well Jeff Gordon is putting on a remarkably similar show. Even without a 2015 win, Gordon still sits inside the top-8 of the standings with several strong tracks on the horizon. Kansas is one such track, where Gordon has three wins and more top-10 finishes than any driver not named Jimmie Johnson. After a fourth place showing back in May, Gordon is one to keep an eye on if he can continue to build on that success.
11:25 AM
Kevin Harvick, Carl Edwards and Brad Keselowski

 Last Week: It was a wild one. Race favorite Jimmie Johnson was forced out early, Kevin Harvick brought out the hammer and four fewer names have a shot at the 2015 Sprint Cup Championship. It was a true win-to-get-in scenario for the reigning champ, and he responded with 355 of 400 laps led in the most dominant performance of his career.

Earlier This Year: After a string of Top-10 finishes, Carl Edwards finally found his way into Charlotte’s Victory Lane at the Coca-Cola 600 back in May. He’s followed it up with some eye-opening finishes on the 1.5-milers, and his average finish ranks only second to Kevin Harvick over the past eight Charlotte contests. Teammates Denny Hamlin and Matt Kenseth already have Chase wins this season; so don’t be shocked to see Edwards add his name to the list.

Who To Watch: Team Penske has been rather quiet through three Chase races, but Brad Keselowski might change that this weekend. The No. 2 driver nabbed his first Charlotte win in October of 2013, and secured a Top-10 finish earlier this season.
8:51 AM

Last Week: Bum knee? No problem! An ACL injury wasn't enough to cool Denny Hamlin last week in Chicago and the Joe Gibbs Racing machine continued it's 2015 dominance (a current three race win streak, and 12 collective wins on the season).  With Hamlin's ticket to the Contender round already punched, odds of JGR sending multiple drivers onward into the Chase are high because...

Earlier This Year: Hamlin's teammate Kyle Busch took home the checkered flag in Loudon back in July, the second of three straight wins during that stretch. Kyle's comeback this season has been one for the ages, and with how well the No. 18 driver has performed this season (four wins, four straight Top-10 finishes including a second place showing in Richmond's Last Race to Make the Chase), there's a strong chance there's more magic to come.

 Who To Watch: While he hasn't racked up the wins like he did last year, Harvick has still had arguably his best season yet. He’s on the top of his game in terms of average starting position and Top-5 finishes, and only in 2010 was his average finish better (9th). But after contact with Jimmie Johnson cut down the defending champ’s tire last week in Chicago, Harvick finds himself in need of a strong showing to keep his name in the Chase Championship discussion.
10:11 AM
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