Harvick was fourth with just enough fuel to make it to the end of the 200-lap event when a caution flag flew with just two laps remaining forcing the race into overtime. The untimely caution forced the Bakersfield, Calif., native to pit road for fuel as his team hadn’t budgeted for the green-white-checkered-flag finish in its predetermined fuel window.

Despite having to make the unscheduled trip to pit road, Harvick maintained the 10th position in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship point standings. Additionally, the 2007 Daytona 500 winner surpassed his own modern ear (1972-present) record of 58 consecutive races without a DNF (did not finish).

Rain settled across the Irish Hills on Friday afternoon, forcing NASCAR to cancel qualifying. The starting grid was set based on the 2008 NASCAR owners’ point standings, lining the No. 29 Shell-Pennzoil Chevrolet on the outside of row five for Sunday’s main event.

The 2007 NASCAR Chase contender started the 400-mile event 10th and, despite wrestling with an ill-handling condition, Harvick ran in the top 15 and was scored eighth at the event’s halfway mark.

Two caution flags were displayed during the next 45 laps and provided a prime opportunity for crew chief Todd Berrier to make adjustments to the temperamental No. 29 machine. Harvick restarted the scheduled 200-lap event 19thon lap 151 but another caution flag flew just one lap later.

Pit strategy began to unfold and Berrier summoned Harvick to pit road for a gas-and-go pit stop, making the No. 29 machine only one lap short of making it to the end of the event. With a majority of the frontrunners staying on the racing surface and other pitting multiple times for fuel, “Happy” restarted the event 14th.

As the race progressed Berrier reminded his driver to stay smooth on the throttle in hopes of saving enough fuel to make it to the end of the event.

The plan seemed to be working out perfectly as the frontrunners who did not pit under the last caution began hitting pit road for fuel on lap 184. Unfortunately, while Harvick was running fourth a caution flag flew with just two laps remaining and forced the event into overtime. This also forced Harvick to come to pit road for fuel and four new Goodyear tires.

Harvick restarted the race 17th but was able to slice and dice his way to the 12th spot before another caution flag flew to end the event.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. captured his first victory of the season. Kasey Kahne, Matt Kenseth, Brian Vickers and Tony Stewart rounded out the top five. Harvick’s Richard Childress Racing teammates Jeff Burton and Clint Bowyer finished 15th and 26th, respectively.

Next weekend the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series turns right for the first time this year when the division heads to Northern California’s Wine Country and the first of two road course race on the 2008 schedule.

The Toyota/Save Mart 350 from Infineon Raceway will take the green flag Sunday, June 22 at 5 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time. The race will be televised live on TNT beginning at 3:30 p.m. EDT and broadcast from coast-to-coast on the Performance Racing Network and Sirius Satellite Radio. Qualifying will be televised live on SPEED Friday, June 20th at 7 p.m. EDT.