TEAM REPORTS (DAYTONA, FLA.) - RCR/HARVICK NOTES/QUOTES
· Stat Facts … In 13 Cup starts at Daytona International Speedway
(DIS), Harvick has posted one win (2007 Daytona 500), one pole, three
top-five and five top-10 finishes. Additionally, Harvick has led 88 laps of
competition and has completed 96.9 % of all laps contested.
· The Fast Way Around … Harvick captured his only Daytona pole at
the 2002 Pepsi 400. He posted a fast lap of 48.638 seconds (185.041
mph).
· Media Opportunity … Harvick will be available for interviews on
Friday, February 15 from noon – 12:20 p.m. in the press conference
room adjacent to the media center.
· RCR Rocks Daytona … Dating back to 1986, RCR has won seven poles
and owns 23 total victories at DIS, including Harvick’s dramatic win
in the 2007 season-opening Daytona 500. Additionally, RCR won 10 straight
(1990-1999) Twin 125s with Dale Earnhardt. All totaled, RCR has won five
Bud Shootouts, 13 Twin 125 qualifying races, two Pepsi 400s and two Daytona
500s. Dale Earnhardt Jr. also won the February 2002 NASCAR Nationwide
Series race at Daytona driving a car fielded by RCR and Harvick won the
2007 Nationwide Series opener at DIS in the No. 21 Chevrolet.
· On Stage … Fans can see Harvick live Saturday, Feb. 9 at 7:45
p.m. on the Chevy Stage, located in the merchandise area outside turn four
at DIS. Harvick will be part of a question and answer session hosted by
Chevrolet.
· Grinding out the Preseason … During January, Harvick and both of
his race teams – the No. 29 Shell-Pennzoil Cup team and the No. 33
Kevin Harvick Incorporated Nationwide team – ground out a rigorous
testing schedule. From Jan. 14-16 Harvick and the Shell-Pennzoil team
tested at DIS and one day later, he was back for the Nationwide Series test
with the No. 33 Camping World Chevrolet. The No. 29 team spent Jan. 28-29
testing at Las Vegas Motor Speedway and then Harvick returned to Vegas the
next day for Nationwide Series testing. The No. 29 Shell-Pennzoil team
rounded out the preseason testing schedule Jan. 30-31 with two days of hot
laps at California Speedway.
· Restrictor Plate Success … Harvick has competed in 27 NASCAR Cup
Series races on restrictor plate tracks (Daytona and Talladega), completing
98 percent of the laps. He has also collected one win (2007 Daytona 500),
two poles, six top-five and 12 top-10 finishes. Additionally,
“Happy” has led 143 laps and has only recorded one did not
finish (DNF).
· Double Dippin’ … In addition to his driving duties with
the No. 29 Shell-Pennzoil Chevrolet at Daytona, Harvick, a 32-time race
winner in the NASCAR Nationwide Series, will drive the No. 33 Camping World
Chevrolet for Kevin Harvick Incorporated on Saturday, Feb. 16 in the
Camping World 300 presented by Chevrolet. The race will be televised live
on ESPN 2 and will also broadcast live on the Motor Racing Network (MRN)
and Sirius Satellite Radio beginning at 1:15 p.m. Eastern Standard Time
(EST).
· Catch the Action … The Daytona 500 will be televised live
Sunday, Feb. 17 beginning at 3:15 pm. EST on FOX and broadcast live on MRN
and Sirius Satellite Radio. The Gatorade Duel at Daytona, 150-mile
qualifying races, will take the green flag Thursday, Feb. 14 at 2 p.m. EST
and will be broadcast live on SPEED, MRN and Sirius. Qualifying for the
Daytona 500 will air live on FOX, MRN and Sirius on Sunday, Feb. 11
beginning at 1:15 p.m. EST.
KEVIN HARVICK QUOTES:
Was winning the Daytona 500 one of the most rewarding wins in your career?
“I think winning the Daytona 500 was the biggest moment in my career so far. Just to win the Daytona 500 last year was something I don’t think I realized the magnitude of. We’ve been fortunate to win a few of the big races – I always thought winning the Brickyard was a bigger deal. I was wrong. Everywhere you go, that’s all anybody wants to talk about – winning the Daytona 500. This one race can carry you for a long time.”
Being the defending winner of the Daytona 500, NASCAR’s biggest race, would it make a difference to you both as a driver and as a fan whether this race was at the beginning of the year or the end of the year?
“I prefer our super bowl to be at the beginning of the season. Our sport is a little different from most – our championship game doesn’t come down to two teams. With all the different teams, I don’t think there’s any other way you can build any more hype around our sport. I don’t think that you could put the Daytona 500 race last and have the same prestige and hype that come with Daytona.”
Given that, with you being the defending champion of the Daytona 500, how is the complexion of that race going to be different in the Impala compared to the other ones?
“Well, last year I was part of a three-car pack that was the breakaway pack for three fuel runs. I think if you’re looking for big-pack racing at Daytona, it’s probably not going to be there unless you have a caution. There’s going to be packs, but I don’t think it’s going to be much different from last year. In the past, we really haven’t had those big packs at Daytona. We’ve had them at Talladega.”
What is the biggest thing you have learned from being an owner?
“The biggest thing I’ve learned is that you can’t jump to conclusions right off the bat. You have to take a lot of information from a lot of different people. In the beginning, owning the race team, I would just jump to conclusions, whether it was changing this person, changing that person. Change is good, but it has to be at the right time. I think it’s helped me understand and helped me communicate with Richard (Childress), and realize just how important the people are. The people around you are what make it go. Everybody in the garage can buy that right parts and pieces, and it’s all about the detail work after all that.”