Richard Childress Racing

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May 9, 2012

Kevin Harvick Event Preview: Southern 500

"This track is probably highest on my list to try to get a win, so I'm looking forward to going there this weekend to see what we can do."

RCR/HHP Photo RCR/HHP Photo

Event Preview Fact Sheet

Kevin Harvick
No. 29 Budweiser Chevrolet

Event/Date:
Southern 500
May 12, 2012

Venue:
Darlington Raceway

This Week's Budweiser Chevrolet at Darlington Raceway ... Kevin Harvick will pilot Chassis No. 374 from the Richard Childress Racing NASCAR Sprint Cup Series stable. This chassis was built new for competition in 2012, and was driven by Harvick at Auto Club Speedway in March where he collected a fourth-place finish in the rain-shortened event. 
 
Dancing with the "Lady in Black" ... Harvick has made 15 Sprint Cup Series starts at Darlington Raceway during the past 11 seasons. In those races, he has scored two top-five and five top-10 finishes. He has led 63 laps at the track and completed 93.9 percent (4,899 of 5,215) of the laps run. Harvick holds an average starting position of 17.3 and an average finish of 18.9 at track coined "Too Tough To Tame". 
 
In the Loop at Darlington ... Since the implementation of NASCAR's Loop Data Statistics in 2006, Harvick has competed in seven Sprint Cup Series races at Darlington Raceway and holds solid marks entering this weekend's event, including: fifth in Closers and 10th in Fastest Laps Run (78).
 
Looking Back ...A late-race incident cost Kevin Harvick and the No. 29 Budweiser Chevrolet team a top-five finish during last year's Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway. Despite leading 47 laps and earning an average running position of 4.4 during the race, Harvick ended up with a 17th-place result after the No. 29 was involved in a late-race accident. The No. 29 team pitted twice under caution to make repairs to the Budweiser Chevrolet and Bakersfield, Calif., native restarted in the 18th position for the green-white-checkered finish. He was able to pick up one position before the checkered flag waved. 
 
Meet the Press ... Harvick will be available to members of the media at 10:45 a.m. ET on Friday, May 11 behind the No. 29 hauler in the Sprint Cup Series garage.
 
In the Rearview Mirror: Talladega Superspeedway ... Harvick and the No. 29 Rheem team came home with a 25th-place finish in the Aaron's 499 at Talladega Superspeedway last Sunday afternoon after being involved in a late-race, multi-car incident. The finish moved Harvick up two positions to fifth in the Sprint Cup Series championship driver point standings.
 
KEVIN HARVICK QUOTES:
What are your thoughts on heading back to Darlington Raceway?
"As you go to Darlington (Raceway), you see the deep history of the sport. This track is probably highest on my list to try to get a win, so I'm looking forward to going there this weekend to see what we can do."
 
Why would it mean so much to add your name to the list of Darlington Raceway winners?
"It'd be pretty awesome because of the fact that everyone knows the significance of the Southern 500 and to win at Darlington (Raceway) is something, as a driver, that you want to check off your list. We've been close at Darlington, but we've just got to put the whole package together and make it happen."
 
What makes racing at Darlington Raceway such a challenge for the drivers and teams?
"The track was not originally designed for cars to be running as fast as they are today. The track's very narrow and you carry a lot of speed. From a driver's standpoint, it's very challenging just to keep the car off the wall, but it's also a lot of fun to drive."

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