This Week’s Jimmy John’s Chevrolet at Michigan International Speedway ... Kevin Harvick will pilot Chassis No. 381 from the Richard Childress Racing NASCAR Sprint Cup Series stable in this weekend’s Pure Michigan 400. Harvick drove this Chevrolet to an 11th-place finish at Kentucky Speedway in July and a 13th-place finish at Texas Motor Speedway in April of 2011. It was also driven earlier this season by Brendan Gaughan at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in March as a No. 33 RCR Sprint Cup Series entry.
Freaky Fast! Freaky Good! at Michigan ... Jimmy John’s will don the hood and quarter panels of the No. 29 Chevrolet for their fifth of six scheduled races during the 2012 Sprint Cup Series season. The 36-year-old driver made his first NASCAR appearance at Michigan International Speedway in 2001. Harvick has completed a total of 4,459 laps of the 4,500 of the total laps contested at the two-mile tri-oval track. Harvick has collected one win (2010), three top-five and eight top-10 finishes and has led 149 laps at the Brooklyn, Mich.-based facility.
Getting Loopy in the Irish Hills ... Since the inception of NASCAR’s Loop Data Statistics in 2006, Harvick has completed 15 Sprint Cup Series events at the two-mile tri-oval and holds a 20.7 average starting position and a 13.7 average finishing position. The RCR driver ranks second amongst all competitors in the category of Green Flag Passes with 1,232.
Points Racing ... With 22 point-paying events in the books, Harvick remains ninth in the Sprint Cup Series driver championship point standings, 67 markers behind the leader. Harvick has collected three top-five and nine top-10 finishes thus far this season, completing 99.69 percent (5,663 of 5,646) of the laps contested.
Find a Jimmy John’s Near You ... Jimmy John’s, known for fresh, quality products and freaky fast service have 1,200 stores nationwide. Visit http://www.jimmyjohns.com to view the Jimmy John’s Freaky Good menu and find your nearest location. You can order online or download the Jimmy John’s mobile application for Freaky Fast delivery.
Kevin’s Krew ... Harvick will host a group of children from the Boys and Girls Club of Lenawee, Mich. for the fifth of sixth scheduled Kevin’s Krew at-track events Saturday at Michigan International Speedway during the NASCAR Truck Series event. Kevin’s Krew is an at-track outreach program for youth supported by the Kevin Harvick Foundation intended to expose kids to the fast world of racing. These children see by example that hard work, following your dreams and leading a drug-free lifestyle can be very rewarding. The kids in attendance will get a behind the scenes look at different professions in motorsports, ranging from pit crew jobs to merchandising careers. By attending a Kevin’s Krew event, the students are given hope that helps them to stay focused and work hard, despite any social and/or economical misfortunes.
Where to See Harvick ... Harvick is scheduled to visit the Team Chevy stage located in the Fan Plaza at Michigan International Speedway on Sunday, August 18 at 9:40 a.m. Eastern Time for a fan question-and-answer session. Following his visit to the Team Chevy Stage, Harvick will join fans at the Budweiser Acceleration Club at 10 a.m. ET. Tickets for the Budweiser Acceleration Club include a pre-race pit pass, food and drinks, a souvenir program, complimentary scanner rental, parking pass, souvenir gift and entertainment. Tickets can be purchased by visiting www.mispeedway.com or by calling 517-592-1161.
The Last Time By ... Harvick and the No. 29 Jimmy John’s Chevrolet team finished 22nd in 2011 Pure Michigan 400 at Michigan International Speedway after experiencing troubles on pit road throughout the race.
In the Rearview Mirror: Finger Lakes 355 ... Harvick and the No. 29 team brought home a 15th-place finish in the Finger Lakes 355 at Watkins Glen International last Sunday afternoon after battling a tight-handling condition and lack of grip around the seven-turn road course.
KEVIN HARVICK QUOTES:
Talk about your race on the newly repaved Michigan International Speedway back in June?
“We didn’t have the best race. We practiced really well during the weekend and were able to figure things out on the first tire, but when they changed the (left-side) tires and we weren’t quite as good. We had a few problems at the beginning of the race and had to make up ground all day. Our car was fast enough to make up ground and do the things we needed to do to get back into the top 10, but we still need to be better.”
There was a lot of talk about 200 plus mph speeds. What was your take on how fast the race cars were and did you feel how fast they were?
“Obviously the speeds were high, but from where we sit after you run two or three laps you become accustomed to how fast you are going. It probably looked faster from the outside, but to us it was just another day in the office.”
Talk about how many grooves you were able to find during the race in June on the newly repaved Michigan International Speedway and how was passing that day?
“There was virtually no passing, and there was only one groove.”