NASCAR WCUP: Kevin Harvick Interview: Another Successful Weekend

Posted By Terry Callahan
Motorsports Editor, The Auto Channel

July 23, 2001

Kevin Harvick, No. 29 GM Goodwrench Chevrolet Monte Carlo (top-finishing Raybestos Rookie of the Year contender - 8th): "It wasn't real fun to race. It was just one of those deals where you had to follow each other around and whoever missed the slick spots and the tore-up parts of the racetrack were the ones that were going to do well. I got into Ward Burton and I want to apologize to him. I followed him for 10 laps and he checked up a little bit and I got into him. It was one of those deals. It seems like there was a lot of people and not a whole lot of room to race. It was a whole lot better before they put that sealer on it."

(Is this racetrack a lot different now in July that it was when you were up here earlier this year for the Busch race?) "When we came up here with the Busch car it was great. They didn't have that sealer on there. Whatever they've got on there now just balls up in chunks and patches. It's just a mess."

(Winning the Busch race in St. Louis and finishing 8th in the Cup race in Loudon, can you sum-up the weekend?) "It's a pretty good weekend. It's a lot of traveling. We won a race and got a top ten. We shouldn't have gotten a top ten (in Cup) today, but the team bailed us out in the pits. We got a little lucky on pit strategy. Sometimes you've got to have a little luck on your side. We've had plenty of bad luck, so we'll take a bit of the good."

(How do you feel physically?) "I feel better than I did last night. Last night I was pretty tired. It was also 105 degrees when the race started. At least up here you can breathe the air up here and I feel good about that."

(You'll be leaving for Indy tomorrow for the test session. How many consecutive days have you been in a racecar?) "Since last Thursday......and now next Tuesday and Wednesday. A lot."

Text provided by Nancy Wager

Editors Note: To view hundreds of hot racing photos and art, visit The Racing Photo Museum and the Visions of Speed Art Gallery.