Budweiser Racing Team Notes of Interest
Kevin Harvick and the No. 4 Budweiser Chevrolet SS team travel to Kansas Speedway this weekend to compete in Sunday’s Hollywood Casino 400 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series (NSCS) race.
Chase Update… This weekend marks the beginning of NASCAR’s Contender Round, which includes the next three consecutive races in the Chase for the Sprint Cup championship. Harvick advanced into the Contender Round with the top-12 drivers following Sunday’s race at Dover International Speedway and is seeded third, behind drivers Brad Keselowski and Joey Logano.
Chassis Info… The No. 4 Budweiser team will utilize chassis No. 842 in Sunday’s race. Harvick has raced this car on three occasions this season – Kansas Speedway in May and Michigan International Speedway in June and August – and finished second each time.
Loop Data… Harvick is scored well in several of NASCAR’s Loop Data categories at Kansas Speedway, including: first in green-flag passes (969); third in fastest on restarts (162.495 mph); third in fastest drivers late in a run (165.816 mph); third in laps led (292); fourth in fastest laps run (202); fourth in speed in traffic (165.914 mph); fifth in driver rating (99.1); fifth in speed by quarter; fifth in laps in the top 15 (2,425); sixth in green flag speed (166.783 mph); seventh in average running position (11.758); eighth in quality passes (468); and eighth in fastest drivers early in a run (168.518 mph).
Defending Winner… During last year’s Hollywood Casino 400, Harvick started from the pole position and led 138 laps en route to his 22nd career victory.
Kansas Stats... Harvick has 17 NSCS starts at Kansas. He has one win, three top fives and eighth top-10 finishes. He has an average start of 17.5 and average finish of 11.5.
Harvick on Racing at Kansas Speedway
Take us on a lap around Kansas. “It’s definitely a little bit different just for the fact the (corner) entries are a little different than at most places. Turns 3 and 4 remind me of Turns 3 and 4 at Chicagoland Speedway, but there’s a lot more grip and a lot fresher asphalt than what Chicagoland has nowadays. It’s a very high-speed race track. You run the middle to the bottom of the race track. But I’m sure, as time goes on, that the groove will move back up. But, for right now, it’s very fast and very sensitive to your line and, with all the speed and how tricky the entrance is into Turn 1, you can miss your line easily. So, you have to be very specific about where you put your car and pay attention to what you’re doing.”
Following Sunday’s race at Dover (International Speedway), what is your outlook for Kansas (Speedway)? “We expect to be fast and just have to have some good luck. That is really what it’s all about for us. The car will be fast, it’s just about getting it all to come together.”