The fourth-place finish was Harvick’s career-best finish at the tricky triangular race track. In addition, the strong finish helped the Bakersfield, Calif., native jump two spots, to 11th, in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series point standings. The 32-year-old driver trails 10th-place Denny Hamlin by 27 points, and is 49 points behind Tony Stewart in ninth, 69 markers behind Greg Biffle in eighth and 313 points out the top five with five races remaining until the Chase for the Sprint Cup starts at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.

The 2007 Daytona 500 winner started the 500-mile event from the 21st position. Unfortunately, he didn’t stay there long as the No. 29 Shell-Pennzoil Chevrolet was sent spinning sideways in turn two on the first lap after contact from Joe Nemechek.

Savvy driving by Harvick kept the bright yellow and red machine off the wall and away from any of his competitors. The No. 29 Shell-Pennzoil Chevrolet Impala SS avoided any serious damage and the over-the-wall crew was only forced to change four tires before sending their driver back on the race track. Harvick restarted the 200-lap event 40th on lap five.

The 2006 NASCAR Nationwide Series Champion didn’t let the misfortune affect him and he began a steady climb through the field. He was 30th on lap 19, 25th on lap 40 and 23rd when green-flag pit stops began on lap 51.

Crew chief Todd Berrier summoned his driver to pit road two laps later for a routine four-tire pit stop which included air pressure and chassis adjustments. Harvick was listed 21st when the field cycled through the stops.

Two cautions periods and four pits stops occurred during the next 74 circuits, providing prime opportunity for Berrier to make adjustments to the temperamental No. 29 machine. Harvick was running 17th when NASCAR was forced to throw the yellow flag for rain on the track.

Pit strategy began to unfold and became a key determinant in the outcome of the race. When Berrier realized this caution period put his team into a predetermined fuel window and only one more pit stop would be necessary to finish the race, he decided to bring his driver in for four tires and fuel. With several of the frontrunners hoping the rain would settle in over the Pocono Raceway and did not pit, “Happy” Harvick restarted 30th after a 45-minute red flag period.

Over the course of the next 32 laps, the 11-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver steadily climbed the charts as other teams made their way to pit road for green-flag pit stops. Once Harvick hit his predetermined fuel window on lap 166, Berrier summoned his driver to pit road for four tires, fuel and a slight air pressure adjustment.

While Harvick continued to climb up the scoring pylon, the frontrunners that could not make it to the end on fuel started to make the left turn down pit road which further helped Harvick’s forward progress.

The Shell-Pennzoil driver was listed 15th on lap 172, 10th on lap 185, climbed all the way to fifth on lap 193 and was able to grab fourth from Dale Earnhardt Jr. when he ran out of gas on the final lap.

Carl Edwards won his fourth race of the season. The top five was rounded out by Stewart, Jimmie Johnson, Harvick and David Ragan. Harvick’s Richard Childress Racing teammates Clint Bowyer and Jeff Burton crossed the finish line sixth and 21st, respectively.

Next weekend, the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series travels to Watkins Glen (N.Y.) International for the final road course race on the 2008 calendar.

Live coverage of Centurion Boats at the Glen will take the green flag Sunday, August 10 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 and Sirius Satellite Radio. Qualifying will be televised live on ESPN2 Friday, August 8 beginning at 3 p.m. EDT. MRN and Sirius Satellite Radio will also provide live qualifying updates.