Post by krisco on Jul 22, 2006 22:26:57 GMT -6
MARTINSVILLE, Va. - Kevin Harvick held off Richard Childress Racing teammate Clint Bowyer by .271 seconds Saturday to win the Goody's 250 NASCAR Busch race at Martinsville Speedway - the first series race at the track since 1994.
The victory was Harvick's series-leading fourth of the season. Harvick is one of six Nextel Cup drivers who are running full-time schedules in both that series and Busch this season.
It was Harvick's 21st career Busch win and ties him for seventh place all-time with Dale Earnhardt, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Harry Gant. Mark Martin leads the series with 47 victories.
Harvick's No. 21 Chevrolet was by far the dominant car Saturday, leading 149 of 250 laps. He did, however, have to navigate several tricky restarts as the race was marred by a track-record 19 cautions covering 87 laps.
``We've come pretty close here a couple times in the trucks and never were able to finish it off,'' said Harvick, who picked up his first career win at the track. ``It was just an awesome day, not just for me but for all of RCR. All these guys built brand new short track cars and to have it come down to myself and Clint, that was pretty awesome.''
Over the final 10 laps Bowyer repeatedly got close to Harvicks rear bumper, but never pushed hard enough to wedge his teammate out of the racing groove.
``The last two weeks Ive had the dominant car and got burnt with it,'' said Bowyer, who finished fifth last week after leading 127 of 200 laps at New Hampshire.
Asked if he took into consideration it was his teammate he was racing for the win, Bowyer said: ``Id be lying if I said I didn't.''
``Its all part of being teammates and I think its because of our teamwork that is why RCR is getting stronger and stronger because everyone works together,'' Bowyer said. ``You have to swallow some of those sometimes and when the shoes on the other foot you hope the respect is there for you, too.''
NASCAR officials confiscated the left front tire of Bowyer's No. 2 Chevrolet following the race for further evaluation.
``We were looking at all the tires from all the cars and there was just something on the tire that I didn't like, but I don't know that it's anything to speak of,'' series director Joe Balash said, adding the results of the examination should be completed by Monday.
Heavy rain and fog had canceled Cup practice sessions at Pocono Raceway, allowing those drivers to leave early.
Denny Hamlin, Reed Sorenson and Kyle Busch did not arrive in time to qualify and had to start the race from the rear of the field.
Hamlin finished third with Sorenson fourth and Johnny Sauter fifth. Harvick holds a commanding 348-point lead over Carl Edwards in the series points race. Bowyer is third, 402 behind Harvick.
``With those Childress cars starting where they qualified, they had it easier than me because I had to come from the back,'' Hamlin said. ``I used my car up a bunch trying to get (to the front).
``Once I got there, it was pretty well used up. I thought we were a little better than those guys on the long runs. They just would pull away for the first five or six laps.''
The victory was Harvick's series-leading fourth of the season. Harvick is one of six Nextel Cup drivers who are running full-time schedules in both that series and Busch this season.
It was Harvick's 21st career Busch win and ties him for seventh place all-time with Dale Earnhardt, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Harry Gant. Mark Martin leads the series with 47 victories.
Harvick's No. 21 Chevrolet was by far the dominant car Saturday, leading 149 of 250 laps. He did, however, have to navigate several tricky restarts as the race was marred by a track-record 19 cautions covering 87 laps.
``We've come pretty close here a couple times in the trucks and never were able to finish it off,'' said Harvick, who picked up his first career win at the track. ``It was just an awesome day, not just for me but for all of RCR. All these guys built brand new short track cars and to have it come down to myself and Clint, that was pretty awesome.''
Over the final 10 laps Bowyer repeatedly got close to Harvicks rear bumper, but never pushed hard enough to wedge his teammate out of the racing groove.
``The last two weeks Ive had the dominant car and got burnt with it,'' said Bowyer, who finished fifth last week after leading 127 of 200 laps at New Hampshire.
Asked if he took into consideration it was his teammate he was racing for the win, Bowyer said: ``Id be lying if I said I didn't.''
``Its all part of being teammates and I think its because of our teamwork that is why RCR is getting stronger and stronger because everyone works together,'' Bowyer said. ``You have to swallow some of those sometimes and when the shoes on the other foot you hope the respect is there for you, too.''
NASCAR officials confiscated the left front tire of Bowyer's No. 2 Chevrolet following the race for further evaluation.
``We were looking at all the tires from all the cars and there was just something on the tire that I didn't like, but I don't know that it's anything to speak of,'' series director Joe Balash said, adding the results of the examination should be completed by Monday.
Heavy rain and fog had canceled Cup practice sessions at Pocono Raceway, allowing those drivers to leave early.
Denny Hamlin, Reed Sorenson and Kyle Busch did not arrive in time to qualify and had to start the race from the rear of the field.
Hamlin finished third with Sorenson fourth and Johnny Sauter fifth. Harvick holds a commanding 348-point lead over Carl Edwards in the series points race. Bowyer is third, 402 behind Harvick.
``With those Childress cars starting where they qualified, they had it easier than me because I had to come from the back,'' Hamlin said. ``I used my car up a bunch trying to get (to the front).
``Once I got there, it was pretty well used up. I thought we were a little better than those guys on the long runs. They just would pull away for the first five or six laps.''
