Harvick OnLine: Post-Race Report: UAW-DaimlerChrysler 400

Harvick, Shell-Pennzoil Chevy 27th at Las Vegas

Race/Date: UAW-DaimlerChrysler 400/March 11, 2007
Location: Las Vegas Motor Speedway
Start Position: 20th
Finish Position: 27th
Points Position: Sixth

A new racing surface and hard Goodyear tires proved to be a struggle for Kevin Harvick and the Shell-Pennzoil Team as they toiled their way to a 27th-place finish in the UAW-DaimlerChrysler 400.

The 11-time NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series winner fell two positions in points to sixth, 106 points from leader Mark Martin.

In time trails Friday, Harvick lapped the 1.5-mile Las Vegas oval in 29.850 seconds (180.905 mph), posting the 20th-fastest speed of the session.

At the drop of the green flag, Harvick made quick work of the first few cars in front of him and was 17th when he crossed the start/finish line to complete the first lap. By the time the fourth caution flag of the race flew on lap 39, he had faded back to the 23rd position. He informed his crew that his car was so loose it was scary to drive.

Crew chief Todd Berrier summoned Harvick to pit road four laps later, calling for fresh tires as well as air pressure and chassis adjustments to ease his driver’s ill-handling condition on the race track.

Unfortunately, nothing seemed to help and Harvick found himself one lap down on lap 69. Berrier decided to be the first car on pit road for green-flag stops one lap later.

Berrier called for fresh tires and another set of adjustments. On lap 86, Harvick radioed to his team that the Shell-Pennzoil Chevy was 75 percent better but was still a little free exiting the corners.

The No. 29 Chevy never really got much better for Harvick and he eventually lost another lap to the leaders. The Bakersfield, Calif., native fought on several occasions to get his laps back. However, luck and timing didn’t seem to be on the No. 29 team’s side and Harvick was never able to get back on the lead lap.

At the end of the day, Harvick never gave up and raced several other cars that were two laps down and soldiered to a 27th-place finish.

Jimmie Johnson won the event followed by Jeff Gordon, Denny Hamlin, Matt Kenseth and Martin.

Harvick’s Richard Childress Racing teammate Jeff Burton challenged for the lead but would suffer from engine troubles and finished 15th. The 31-year-old driver’s other teammate, Clint Bowyer, hit the outside retaining wall on lap 225 and finished 36th.

The Kolbalt Tools 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway will take the green flag Sunday, March 18 beginning at 1:30 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time (EDT). Live television coverage on FOX kicks off at 1:30 p.m. EDT. The race will also be broadcast live from coast-to-coast on the Performance Racing Network and Sirius Satellite Radio. Qualifying for the fourth of 36 points-paying NEXTEL Cup races will air live on SPEED, PRN and Sirius Satellite Radio Friday, March 16 beginning at 7 p.m. EDT.

KEVIN HARVICK - NO. 29 SHELL-PENNZOIL CHEVROLET MONTE CARLO SS –

"For some reason we couldn’t find a handle on the No. 29 Shell-Pennzoil Chevrolet. I think Todd (Berrier) did everything he could think of but it just never handled the way we wanted it. You will have races like this every once in a while. We just need to go to Atlanta with our heads up and try and get a top-10 finish.”