Race/Date:      Pennsylvania 500 – August 5, 2007

Location:           Pocono Raceway – Long Pond, Pa.

Start Position:                     23^rd

Finish Position:  17^th

Points Position:                  Ninth

 

Kevin Harvick and the Shell-Pennzoil Racing team fought an ill-handling condition all day to bring home a 17^th-place finish in the Pennsylvania 500 at Pocono Raceway. 

 

The less than expected result only cost Harvick two positions in the tightly bunched NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series point standings.  The Bakersfield, Calif., native currently sits ninth but is only 24 markers behind Jimmie Johnson in seventh. 

 

In qualifying Friday afternoon, the 2007 Daytona 500 winner, toured the 2.5-mile triangle speedway in 53.758 seconds (167.417 mph), knocking down the 23^rd-fastest time of the day. 

 

Starting on the inside of the 12^th row, Harvick quickly made his way into the top 10 by lap 19 of the 200-lap event.  However, the 31-year-old driver quickly informed crew chief Todd Berrier that he was experiencing a tight-handling condition which made it hard for him to turn through the middle of the corners and as green-flag conditions continued, the bright yellow and red machine was loosing rear grip.

 

Green-flag pit stops began on lap 28 and “Happy” Harvick brought his No. 29 Shell-Pennzoil Chevrolet down pit road to the attention of his Shell-Pennzoil over-the-wall crew on lap 31.  Berrier called for four fresh Goodyear tires, fuel and an air pressure adjustment to ease Harvick’s ill-handling machine.  Once the entire field completed their green-flag pit stops, Harvick was listed in the 15^th spot. 

 

Battling his way back up to 12^th by lap 35, Harvick began to experience a loose-handling machine. 

 

The 11-time NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series winner visited pit road once again when the second caution flag was displayed on lap 53 for four fresh tires, fuel and air pressure and chassis adjustments.  Harvick returned to green flag conditions on lap 58 in the 17^th spot. 

 

A single-car incident on lap 64 brought out the day’s third caution period.  Harvick was able to sneak past the spinning car and escape with no damage.  The team opted to hit pit road for right-side tires and fuel along with another slight air pressure adjustment.    Harvick was sitting 15^th when the field was shown the green flag on lap 68. 

 

Just past the halfway mark, running 15^th, Harvick’s machine continued to suffer from a loose-handling condition. 

 

The fifth caution flag flew on lap 137 and Harvick made the hard left turn down pit road on lap 139.  Berrier would once again call for four fresh tires, fuel and another round of air pressure adjustments.  The unusually sluggish pit stop cost the team four positions as Harvick returned to green flag conditions on lap 142 in the 20^th spot. 

 

All the adjustments that Berrier called for never seemed to help the ill-handling conditions on the No. 29 Shell-Pennzoil Chevrolet.  The sixth of seven caution flags flew on lap 172.  With one last attempt at making adjustments to fix the handling on the bright yellow and red machine, Harvick came to pit road for four fresh tires, fuel and a slight air pressure adjustment.  Harvick restarted the 500-mile event in the 20^th spot. 

 

Over the closing stages, Harvick was able to pick up a few spots and crossed the finish line in the 17^th position.  

 

Kurt Busch took the checkered flag followed by Dale Earnhardt Jr., Denny Hamlin, Jeff Gordon and Johnson.  Fellow Richard Childress Racing teammates Clint Bowyer and Jeff Burton finished eighth and 11^th, respectively. 

 

Next weekend, the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series travels to Watkins Glen (N.Y.) International for the final road course race on the 2007 calendar. 

 

Live coverage of Centurion Boats at the Glen will take the green flag Sunday, August 12 at 1 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time and will be telecast live on ESPN.  The event will also be broadcast live on the Motor Racing Network (MRN) and Sirius Satellite Radio.  Qualifying will be televised live on ESPN2 Friday, August 10 beginning at 3 p.m. EDT.  MRN and Sirius Satellite Radio will provide live qualifying updates beginning at 3 p.m. EDT. 

 

KEVIN HARVICK - NO. 29 SHELL-PENNZOIL CHEVROLET MONTE CARLO SS –

 

“The Shell-Pennzoil Chevrolet was just a little off all day.  We made adjustment after adjustment and couldn’t get it to run like we wanted it to.  It was a disappointing day for us but I am looking forward to racing at Watkins Glen.”