Supported by Mobil 1 at Sonoma
KANNAPOLIS, North Carolina (June 21, 2016) – Kevin Harvick will drive the No. 4 Mobil 1 Chevrolet SS for Stewart-Haas Racing (SHR) for the first time this year as the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series heads to the first of two road-course races on the 2016 Sprint Cup schedule – Sunday’s Save Mart 350k at Sonoma (Calif.) Raceway.
The demands on both man and machine throughout a road-course race can test even the most talented drivers and sophisticated mechanical equipment. Thankfully, the 2014 Sprint Cup champion has an equally impressive partner in Mobil 1, which is known for standing up to the toughest challenges.
Mobil 1 is the “Official Motor Oil of NASCAR” and the Mobil brand of lubricant products are the “Official Lubricants of NASCAR.” Mobil 1 engine oils have long been the lubricant of choice for race teams competing in the most demanding and popular motorsports series across the globe.
The history of Mobil 1 in motorsports dates back to the early 1970s, competing in rallying. However, its involvement in racing became more official in 1978 through sponsorship of the Williams Formula One team and the 1987 sponsorship of Rusty Wallace’s No. 27 car in NASCAR.
From that time, the presence of Mobil 1 on race tracks and circuits has grown by global proportions. Today, Mobil 1 is relied on for its ability to deliver exceptional engine performance and protection even under some of the most extreme conditions. Automotive technicians, racecar drivers, team owners and the world’s leading automotive manufacturers can all testify to the advanced technology delivered by Mobil 1 lubricants.
This weekend will be the first of two races with Mobil 1 as the primary partner on the No. 4 Chevrolet in 2016. Mobil 1 will next appear as the primary partner of the No. 4 Chevrolet at Pocono (Pa.) Raceway on July 31.
Harvick, the current Sprint Cup points leader, also knows how to stand up to the demands of road-course racing. While he is still searching for his first trip to victory lane at Sonoma in the Sprint Cup Series, he first visited victory lane at Sonoma in the K&N Pro Series West in 1998, when he started third and beat Brandon Ash to the finish line by 0.154 of a second, leading only that last lap of the race.
The Bakersfield, California native recorded his best Sprint Cup finish at Sonoma in 2007, when he finished second to Juan Pablo Montoya by 4.097 seconds. He finished third at Sonoma in 2003 and 2010, and fourth in 2015.
Harvick scored his only Sprint Cup Series road-course win at Watkins Glen (N.Y.) International in 2006, when he led 28 laps and beat fellow Mobil 1 driver Tony Stewart to the finish line by .892 of a second. However, he scored back-to-back road-course wins in the NASCAR Xfinity Series in 2007 at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve in Montreal and Watkins Glen.
This weekend, Harvick is looking to match his road-course prowess with that of Mobil 1’s to score his second Sprint Cup victory of 2016 at the 10-turn, 1.99 mile Sonoma circuit.
KEVIN HARVICK, Driver of the No. 4 Mobil 1 Chevrolet SS for Stewart-Haas Racing:
Sonoma is one of only two road courses on the Sprint Cup schedule and it’s widely regarded as the more technical of the two. What are the big differences between Sonoma and Watkins Glen?
“I think the biggest difference between Sonoma and Watkins Glen is that the speeds are drastically different. Sonoma is a much tighter course with sharper corners and a lot less speed, where you don’t really even use fourth gear, unless you’re saving gas. It’s a much slower track than Watkins Glen and the tires fall off a lot more than they do at The Glen. So, you’ve got to get your car to technically be very good as it turns the corner, but also keep track of the forward grip as you go through a run.”
What is the first thing you think of when you think of Sonoma?
“The first thing I think of when we are going to Sonoma is that we are going road racing. It’s definitely the first road race of the year and Sonoma is a very technical, slower-type road course. I’ve been fortunate to race there for a long time and look forward to going there every year.”
Chassis Information - Chassis No. 873: Kevin Harvick will pilot the No. 4 Mobil 1 Chevrolet SS built on Chassis No. 4-873 in the Save Mart 350k NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race Sunday at Sonoma (Calif.) Raceway. Built in 2014, Chassis No. 4-873 made its debut at Sonoma, where the car started sixth, led 23 laps and finished 20th after being collected in a late-race accident. Chassis No. 4-873 made its second appearance in August at Watkins Glen (N.Y.) International, where Harvick started fourth and finished seventh. In 2015, Harvick raced No. 4-873 in both road-course events on the Sprint Cup schedule for a second straight season. He finished fourth at Sonoma in June and third at Watkins Glen in August after leading 29 laps and running out of fuel on the last lap.
Sonoma Notes of Interest:
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