Race/Date: Aaron’s 499/April 27, 2008

Location: Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway

Start Position: 39th

Finish Position: 24th

Points Position: Sixth (dropped one positions)

With packs of more than 25 cars racing three-wide running at 200 mph, the races at Talladega Superspeedway can not be denied as NASCAR fan favorites. However, as Shell-Pennzoil driver Kevin Harvick found out, when those tight packs start wrecking, the view from the driver’s seat can be a lot more frightening than watching the excitement on television or in the grandstands.

Harvick was able to escape injury as he was collected in an 11-car pile-up on the final lap of the Aaron’s 499, relegating the No. 29 Shell-Pennzoil Chevy to a 24th-place finish in the restrictor-plate event.

Despite the unfavorable result, the No. 29 Shell-Pennzoil Chevrolet raced in the top 15 for the majority of the afternoon, led a lap and gained five valuable bonus points. However, the 2007 Daytona 500 winner dropped one position, to sixth, in the 2008 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series point standings, but still sits just 37 points out of the top five.

The Bakersfield, Calif., native was the third of 46 drivers to make a qualifying run Saturday morning. A fast lap of 52.134 seconds (183.681 mph) put the Shell-Pennzoil Chevrolet on the inside of row 20 in the 39th position for Sunday’s 188-lap event.

The beginning of the 500-mile event was typical restrictor-plate racing for the Shell-Pennzoil team as Harvick navigated up to the 14th position on lap nine, fell back 23rd spot on lap 30 and was able to move into the top five on lap 41.

The Shell-Pennzoil Chevrolet was strong and it showed. Harvick powered into the lead on lap 57 and hung around the front of the enormous pack of cars until making a scheduled green-flag pit stop on lap 103 for four tires and fuel. Once the field cycled through the green-flag pit stops, Harvick was listed in the 14th spot.

The 2006 NASCAR Nationwide Series champion continued running in the top 15 and was waiting for the closing laps before mounting a charge on the leaders.

On lap 175, with just 13 laps remaining, the first of two multi-car accidents broke out in turn two. Quick advice by spotter Bill O’Dea helped Harvick navigate around the incident without a scratch.

With only 11 laps to go in the event, the 2007 NASCAR Sprint All-Star Challenge winner knew it was time to make a charge towards the front. Unfortunately, on the final lap, disaster struck and Harvick was unable to miss the melee. However, the 11-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series winner was still able to drive his bright yellow and red machine across the finish line to a 24th-place finish.

Kyle Busch won his second race of the 2008 season with Juan Pablo Montoya, Denny Hamlin, David Ragan and Brian Vickers rounding out the top-five finishers. Harvick’s Richard Childress Racing teammates, Clint Bowyer and Jeff Burton, finished ninth and 12th, respectively.

Next week, short track action heats back up when the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series visits Richmond for the first of two stops at the division’s famous three-quarter mile “Action Track.”

Live coverage of the Crown Royal 400 at Richmond International Raceway will take the green flag Saturday, May 3 beginning at 7 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time (EDT) and will be telecast live on FOX. The event will also be broadcast live on the Motor Racing Network and Sirius Satellite Radio. Qualifying for the 10th of 36 points-paying Sprint Cup Series races will air live on SPEED, MRN and Sirius Satellite Radio Friday, May 2 at 5:40 p.m. EDT.

KEVIN HARVICK - NO. 29 SHELL-PENNZOIL CHEVROLET IMPALA SS –

“We were in a good pack moving up at the end, but we got caught in the big wreck on the last lap. Wish we had a better finish but it could have been much worse. Todd (Berrier, crew chief) and the guys on this Shell/Pennzoil team gave me a good car and got me in and out of the pits with awesome stops all day. We lost a few points, but we will be ok and just head for Richmond."