DRIVER: Kevin Harvick / No. 5 Armour Vienna Sausages Chevrolet
RACE: VFW Help a Hero 200 (147 laps / 200.8 miles)
TRACK: Darlington Raceway
DATE: Friday, April 11, 2014 (7:30 p.m. ET – ESPN2)
TWITTER: @KevinHarvick, @ArmourRacing, @JRMotorsports
Quotes | Kevin Harvick
“Darlington is a tough race track, but I like it. It’s a narrow, fast race track that has a lot of history and is a very significant race to win. The history of the track is what makes it so neat, and that’s why everyone likes to go there. It’s got character and it’s hard to pass. When your car is driving right, there are a lot of places to pass. The thing about Darlington that makes it easier to pass than at some other tracks is that it’s so easy to make a mistake. What you’ve got to do is capitalize on other people’s mistakes.”
Notes | No. 5 Team
LAST WEEK: Harvick earned his 25th career pole award and led a race-high 101 laps last Friday night at Texas Motor Speedway en route to a fourth-place finish. The result gives Harvick four top-five finishes in four NNS starts with JR Motorsports this season.
AT DARLINGTON: Harvick owns one top-five and six top-10 finishes in 11 NNS starts at Darlington Raceway. In his most recent NNS start at the tricky 1.366-mile oval in 2010, Harvick started seventh and finished eighth.
SEARCHING FOR A FIRST: Darlington Raceway is one of only four tracks Harvick holds 10 or more NNS starts without a victory. Among his 40 career NNS victories, none have come at the 1.366-mile oval. In 11 career NNS starts at the track, Harvick’s best finish is fifth in 2003.
COPE’S CARS AT DARLINGTON: Working with five different drivers, crew chief Ernie Cope’s cars have earned an 8.2 average start with an 11.2 average finish in the past five seasons at Darlington. In 2011, Cope led Elliott Sadler to a third-place finish at the track.
ON A ROLL: JR Motorsports cars combined to win both the race and pole award at Texas Motor Speedway while leading 154 of 200 laps and placing four cars among the top-seven finishers. In 19 combined starts this season, JRM cars have earned two victories, nine top-five and 17 top-10 finishes.
ARMOUR SWEEPSTAKES: Fans can enter to win a customized Bad Boy Buggies Ambush iS UTV by Armour and a bevy of other prizes, including autographed die-cast cars, crew shirts, hats and gift cards. Five finalists will win a private meet and greet with Kevin Harvick. For more information, visit www.ArmourPitStop.com.
MEDIA INFORMATION
TV: ESPN2 (7:30 p.m. ET)
RADIO: MRN & Sirius XM Ch 90 (7:30 p.m. ET)
FIRST PRACTICE: 4/10, 1-2 p.m. ET
FINAL PRACTICE: 4/10, 2:30-4 p.m. ET
QUALIFYING: 4/11, 4:10 p.m. ET (FS2)
GREEN FLAG: 4/11, 8 p.m. ET (ESPN2)