Kevin Harvick and the No. 29 Shell-Pennzoil Racing team continued to gain momentum for the 2008 Chase for the Championship with a sixth-place finish in the Centurion Boats at the Glen.

The solid finish was Harvick’s eighth top-10 finish of the season and his third top 10 in the last four weeks. Additionally, the 11-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series winner maintained the 11th-spot in the NSCS point standings and now sits just 19 points out of the top 10.

Intermittent rain in the area Friday washed out qualifying so the field was set based on car owner points. The NASCAR ruling positioned the Shell-Pennzoil Chevrolet Impala SS in the 11th spot for the 220.5-mile contest.

Starting just outside of the top 10, Harvick worked his way into the 10th position on the first lap of the final road course event on the 2008 calendar. He quietly picked off several more positions, making his way into the sixth spot before the first round of green-flag pit stops began on lap 17.

Crew chief Todd Berrier summoned Harvick to pit road four laps later for four new Goodyear tires, fuel and a slight air pressure adjustment before sending his driver back on the racing surface. Once the green-flag pit stops cycled thought the field, Harvick was listed fourth on the scoring pylon.

On lap 40, Harvick informed his Shell-Pennzoil crew that his bright yellow and red machine needed more rear grip to compete with the leaders. The 2006 Watkins Glen winner continued to run in the top-five until the second round of green-flag pit stops began on lap 53.

Harvick made his final trip to pit road three laps later, under green flag conditions, and received four tires, fuel and minor chassis and air pressure adjustments.

As the race continued, the adjustments made by the Shell-Pennzoil crew were not to Harvick’s liking but he was able to maintain his position in the top 10.

The second caution flag flew on lap 64 with the 2006 NASCAR Nationwide Series champion running in the 10th position. Harvick, along with all the frontrunners, did not pit during this caution period but “Happy” was able to grab the ninth position from Ron Fellows on the lap 66 restart.

Harvick’s Shell-Pennzoil Chevrolet Impala SS began to come around and he was running in the sixth position when a nine-car pile-up occurred just before the start/finish line on lap 81. The melee forced NASCAR to throw the red flag for 43 minutes while safety crews cleaned up the carnage.

When the field finally got the green flag to go back racing there were only five laps remaining in the event. Harvick tried to work his way past Martin Truex Jr. on the final laps but Truex held his ground and the Shell-Pennzoil Racing team settled for a solid sixth-place finish.

Kyle Busch won his eighth race of the season. The top five was rounded out by Tony Stewart, Marcos Ambrose, Juan Pablo Montoya and Truex. Harvick’s Richard Childress Racing teammates Jeff Burton and Clint Bowyer crossed the finish line 17th and 23rd, respectively.

NASCAR’s main attraction heads back to Michigan International Speedway this week for its second stop of the season. The 3M Performance 400 will take the green flag Sunday, August 17 at 2 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time. The race will be televised live on ESPN beginning at 1 p.m. EDT and broadcast worldwide on the Motor Racing Network and Sirius Satellite Radio. Qualifying for the 23rd race on the 2008 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series schedule will be televised live on SPEED Friday, August 15 at 3:30 p.m. EDT.

“This was another solid run for the Shell-Pennzoil team. It was a great points day for us but just as important, it continues to show how strong our team is. We started out pretty good at the beginning of the race but we made a change on the final pit stop that just didn’t work. We were still able to maintain our position and finish sixth. I am just happy that we are getting better week in and week out and seem to be gaining momentum for the Chase.”