Author: Jim Utter
Date: July 7, 2016
NASCAR star Kevin Harvick has been named one of eight celebrity captains for next week’s Class AAA baseball All-Star Home Run Derby in Charlotte, N.C.
Harvick, the 2014 Sprint Cup Series champion and current series points leader, is a native of Bakersfield, Calif., but now a resident of Charlotte.
The Class AAA Charlotte Knights are hosting the derby and AAA All-Star Game at their BB&T Ballpark in uptown Charlotte on Monday and Wednesday nights, respectively.
In all, a total of eight sluggers will compete for the 2016 AAA Home Run Derby championship belt. The field consists of six AAA competitors, along with two high school competitors (Riley Zayicek of Lake Norman High School and Trent Alley of Charlotte Country Day School), who qualified during a High School Home Run Derby tournament at BB&T Ballpark in May.
Representing the International League will be Aaron Judge (Scranton/Wilkes-Barre), Chris Marrero (Pawtucket), and Jesus Montero (Buffalo). On the Pacific Coast League side will be Kyle Jensen (Reno), Rob Segedin (Oklahoma City), and Travis Taijeron (Las Vegas).
Among the other celebrity captains joining Harvick are Jason Sehorn, Shaq Thompson, Mark Price, Jack McDowell, Steve Clifford, Steve Smith, and Sgt. Slaughter.
Gates will open at 6 p.m. ET Monday and Harvick and the other celebrity captains will sign pre-event autographs on the field.
Harvick will represent the Kevin Harvick Foundation, which he established in 2010 along with his wife, DeLana. If a player on Harvick’s “team” wins the derby, the foundation earns a donation.
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