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Reason to be ‘Happy’: Harvick leading charge into Pocono race

Pre-Race Reports | NASCAR Cup Series | 06/08/14

If early returns are any indication, the Stewart-Haas Racing squad is likely to be awfully tough in Sunday's Pocono 400 at Pocono Raceway.

Kevin Harvick, who has been fast most everywhere he's run so far this season, has had the dominant car so far at the three-turn, 2.5-mile Northeast Pennsylvania track.

Friday at Pocono, Harvick was third in the day's lone practice and qualified his No. 4 Stewart-Haas Racing Chevrolet on the outside of Row 2 behind pole-sitter Denny Hamlin, Harvick's teammate Kurt Busch and 2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion Brad Keselowski.

Harvick picked up even more on Saturday, when he was first in both single-lap speed and 10-consecutive-lap average speed in the first of two practice rounds on the day.

Harvick is one of three drivers to win twice so far this season and he certainly has a strong chance to become the first three-time winner on Sunday.

"The Budweiser Chevy is really fast," Harvick said. "We just have to put a whole day together and right now, it's running really good."

During the final Happy Hour practice, Harvick had a brief scare, thinking he had an engine problem, which turned out to be a lubricant leak in the transmission. The SHR squad repaired the issue and Harvick should be good to go.

That's not to say the race is Harvick's to lose.

Denny delivers: Hamlin takes second pole of 2014 at Pocono

The three drivers who outqualified Harvick have combined to win seven Sprint Cup victories at Pocono -- four for Hamlin, two for Kurt Busch and one for Keselowski.

Hamlin's pole on Friday was his third here at Pocono, and after winning his first two poles, Hamlin went on to win those races as well. That bodes well for Hamlin's chances on Sunday, though in general, the Joe Gibbs Racing Toyotas have not been as fast as the Hendrick Motorsports/SHR Chevrolets.

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