Kevin Harvick Hangs Tough to Finish Second at Michigan International Speedway

NASCAR Sprint Cup Series – Quicken Loans 400
June 16, 2013 – Michigan International Speedway

When the 200-lap, 400-mile race at Michigan International Speedway began on Sunday afternoon, Kevin Harvick and the No. 29 Budweiser Chevrolet team lined up 21st for the initial green flag. The first pit stop on lap 22, for a pre-determined competition caution, allowed the team to make multiple adjustments to help the car’s loose-handling condition. Throughout the race, crew chief Gil Martin called for pit stops taking on two and four tires at various times. This allowed the team to manage their tires during the race and avoid flats like other teams endured. For the last caution restart with 27 laps remaining, Harvick came off pit road in third with four tires, chassis adjustments and was topped off with enough fuel to go the remaining distance. During the final green-flag run, Harvick radioed in that he was feeling another vibration and didn’t want to push the car and lose valuable track position. He jumped to second place, then lost the position and regained it to earn the runner-up finish. This was his fifth consecutive top-10 finish and moved the team up to fourth in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver championship point standings.

We had a few vibrations during the race and you just have to ride them out and stay in the race. Gil (Martin, crew chief) and the Budweiser Chevrolet team did a great job on pit road managing stops during the race. They just kept making good adjustments, with the biggest ones coming on the first pit stop. It was a good day for us, we fought through the vibrations to stay out there and came up with a good finish. – Kevin Harvick

Race Notes

• Started – 21st, Finished, – 2nd,  Laps led – 0, Points – 4th
• Following the event at Michigan International Speedway, Harvick is now fourth in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver championship point standings, trailing leader Jimmie Johnson by 62 markers.
• The No. 29 team ranks fourth in the Sprint Cup Series owner championship point standings.
• According to NASCAR’s Post-Race Loop Data Statistics, Harvick earned the fifth-best Driver Rating (104.30) and ranked eighth for Laps In The Top 15 (163).
• Harvick’s Average Running Position (9.77) ranked him seventh overall in the 43-car field.