NASCAR WCUP: Kevin Harvick Interview: Qualifying at Darlington

Posted By Terry Callahan
Motorsports Editor, The Auto Channel

August September 1, 2001

Kevin Harvick, No. 29 GM Goodwrench Service Plus Chevrolet Monte Carlo (qualified 5th): "After Busch qualifying (will start 14th), we needed a good run in Cup. I got that one up into the fence a little bit and that cost us a few spots. That was a good run for us. It was a good run for the GM Goodwrench Chevy. I kind of screwed it up in practice a little bit, but this is a hard place to get around. It's narrow and you're going so darn fast."

(Were you surprised at your lap?) "I wasn't really surprised. But then I'm surprised that everybody is going that fast to tell you the truth. It's just gotten a little bit hotter. We had a good car in practice; we just didn't know how good it was. I messed up the second lap and got us off a little bit."

(Did the extra Busch practice help you?) "I think so. This place has a lot to do with rhythm and you run so close to the wall that you have to really watch what you do and not make any mistakes. If you do, you'll do what I did in the Busch car and put it in the wall and lose a little bit of time."

(Any close moments?) "Turns 1 and 2, you're just right up against the wall. Our car was actually really good. They're all close moments here. But there wasn't anything out of control."

(Was the track slick?) "I thought it was going to be slick. The Busch car went in there and it was real slick and it slid up the racetrack, but the Cup car went in there and stuck real good. It was just a good lap for us.

(How important is it to start up front at Darlington?) "You've got to have a good car here or you'll go straight to the back."

Text provided by Nancy Wager

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