JR Motorsports Race Report
Saturday, Feb. 28, 2015
Race 2 of 33: Hisense 250 at Atlanta Motor Speedway
Track Specs: 1.54-mile quad-oval / 163 laps
Weather: Mostly sunny; 52 deg.
Race Winner: Kevin Harvick
Harvick’s finish: 1st
Kevin Harvick again proved his mastery of Atlanta Motor Speedway with a win in Saturday’s Hisense 250. Harvick, driving the No. 88 Bad Boy Buggies Chevrolet, led the most laps en route to his third-consecutive NASCAR XFINITY Series (NXS) victory at the facility and his fourth overall. In his last nine races at Atlanta, the two-time NXS champion has never finished worse than fourth. Saturday’s win is Harvick’s fifth for JR Motorsports in only 16 races, and both the driver and team’s first of 2015.
Harvick didn’t waste any time improving his eighth-place starting position, working his way to fourth by lap seven. The No. 88 pit crew was unstoppable all day, ensuring that their driver beat his competitors, including polesitter Joey Logano, off pit road following each of three pit stops during the 163-lap event.
On lap 139, Harvick led the field to the green flag on the final restart and never looked back, scoring his 45th career NXS win. He is now one victory away from tying Brad Keselowski for most wins by a JRM driver. The victory is also the first for Dave Elenz as a crew chief and the 22nd overall for JRM. The win propels the No. 88 up to fourth in the NXS owner’s standings, just one point removed from a three-way tie for the top spot.
Harvick was followed to the stripe by Logano, Ty Dillon, Chris Buescher and JRM teammate Chase Elliott.
Kevin Harvick, driver No. 88 Bad Boy Buggies team
“Everybody on our Bad Boy Buggies team did a great job. We were able to have a great pit stop there at the end of the race and beat the 22 off of pit road to take control on that restart on the bottom and get out in clean air. I felt like the 22 had a little bit better car and that was the key to going to victory lane today.
“It’s pretty special. There’s a lot of new guys on this team and to be able to see them celebrate in victory lane and to get a taste of what that’s like, it’s contagious. Everybody wants to do whatever you have to do to get to victory lane because everybody works hard and this is the ultimate result you want to see. Just a great day for everyone at JR Motorsports and this Bad Boy team.”
Dave Elenz, crew chief No. 88 Bad Boy Buggies team
“It’s amazing to be in this position right now. Kevin (Harvick) was able to manage the race very well for us and allow us to make the right adjustments. We had a really good day and everybody on the Bad Boy Buggies team did a great job.”