Kevin Harvick and the No. 29 Rheem team settled for a 16th-place finish in the Save Mart 350 at Sonoma Sunday afternoon after running out of fuel during a mid-race run. The Bakersfield, Calif., native started the race from the 26th position and worked his way into the top 10 by lap 61. As the field was approaching a second round of green-flag pit stops just after the halfway point of the race, crew chief Shane Wilson instructed his driver to conserve fuel so the team would only need to make one more pit stop. Just as Harvick was about to drive to pit road, the Rheem Chevrolet ran out of fuel, causing the team to lose several positions on track as he made his way to pit road. After stopping for fuel, tires and an air pressure adjustment, the No, 29 Rheem Chevrolet returned to the track in the 27th position, one lap down to the leader. A lap-83 caution provided Harvick with the “Lucky Dog” Award, placing him back on the lead lap in the 23rd position for the lap-87 restart. Harvick battled to make up ground during the final runs of the scheduled 110-lap event, ultimately crossing the finish line in the 16th position. Harvick remains sixth in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver point championship standings, 64 points behind the leader.
KEVIN HARVICK QUOTE:
“This was not that day the Rheem team was hoping for. We had a top-10 car easily, but unfortunately didn’t have the finish to show for it. It’s really disappointing, but we will regroup this week and get back at it next weekend in Kentucky.”