Harvick OnLine: Event Preview: Coca-Cola 600

Kevin Harvick/ No. 29 Shell-Pennzoil Chevrolet Event Preview Fact Sheet

Event/Date: Coca-Cola 600 – May 27, 2007
Venue: Lowe’s Motor Speedway – Concord, N.C.

NOTES:

· This Week’s Race Car at Lowe’s Motor Speedway … Kevin Harvick will pilot Chassis No. 179 from the Richard Childress Racing (RCR) stable. Built new for the 2006 season, this is the same car Harvick drove to Victory Lane last Saturday night in the NASCAR NEXTEL All-Star Challenge. Additionally, Harvick drove this Shell-Pennzoil Chevrolet to a third-place finish last November at Texas Motor Speedway and to a fifth-place finish at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

· Stat Facts … In 12 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series races at Lowe’s Motor Speedway, Harvick has earned one top-five and three top-10 finishes. Additionally, the Bakersfield, Calif., native has earned a 17.5 starting average and a 20.2 finishing average.

· Back in Yellow and Red … After showcasing the Pennzoil Platinum paint scheme last weekend during the NASCAR NEXTEL All-Star Challenge, the No. 29 Chevy will return to its traditional bright yellow and red Shell-Pennzoil scheme this weekend during the Coca-Cola 600 at Lowe’s Motor Speedway.

· RCR at Charlotte … In 90 starts at LMS, RCR has earned four points-paying victories – all of them coming with Dale Earnhardt. Additionally, RCR boasts 16 top-five and 31 top-10 finishes at the 1.5-mile oval with six different drivers including Earnhardt, Ricky Rudd, Mike Skinner, Kevin Harvick, and Burton. Richard Childress, a former driver on NASCAR’s senior circuit, contributed two of those top 10s from 1978-1979.

· Testing One, Two, Three, Testing … Harvick and the Shell-Pennzoil racing team tested at Lowe’s Motor Speedway (LMS) May 7-8 in preparation for the Coca-Cola 600. The test was the fifth of seven allowed under NASCAR’s 2007 testing policy. Last week’s test, originally scheduled for Dover International Speedway, was postponed indefinitely because of the inclement weather two weeks ago at Darlington. The next test on the books for teams in NASCAR’s top division is slated for Talladega Superspeedway September 10-11.

· Million Dollar Baby … Harvick, who claimed the sport’s biggest prize when he won the Daytona 500 in his No. 29 Shell-Pennzoil Chevrolet in February, pocketed another $1 million-plus check with his first career all-star race victory.

· Logging Miles … Harvick will drive 900 miles this weekend at Lowe’s Motor Speedway. The 2007 NASCAR NEXTEL All-Star Challenge winner will participate in the CARQUEST Auto Parts 300 on Saturday and the Coca-Cola 600 on Sunday. This means that Harvick could drive from Charlotte, N.C. to Madison, Wis.

· Double Duty … In addition to his driving duties with the No. 29 Shell-Pennzoil Chevrolet, Harvick, a 27-time winner in the NASCAR Busch Series, will drive the No. 33 RoadLoans.com Chevrolet in the May 26 Carquest Auto Parts 300 at Lowe’s Motor Speedway. The race will be televised on ESPN2 beginning at 7 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time (EDT). The event will also be broadcast live on the Performance Racing Network (PRN) and Sirius Satellite Radio. Qualifying for the 13th race of the 2007 NASCAR Busch Series schedule will be televised live on SPEED the same day beginning at 4 p.m. EDT.

· Up to Speed … Live coverage of the Coca-Cola 600 begins Sunday, May 27 at 5 p.m. EDT on FOX. The race will be carried live on PRN and Sirius Satellite Radio. Qualifying for the 12th of 36 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series races will be televised live on SPEED Thursday, May 24 beginning at 7 p.m. EDT.

KEVIN HARVICK QUOTES:

During the Charlotte weekend you are going to run 900 miles. Do you think it will have an effect on you?

“It’s something that we’ve gotten pretty used to during the season. A couple of years ago we had to run it on the same day. That was a workout. All in all, it’s good for me. It keeps me sharp.”

What do you think about the Coca-Cola 600?

“The 600 is long, but it’s really only 100 miles longer than we normally run. I really don’t think it is that big of a deal. However, it’s our longest race of the season. Coming to Charlotte is always kind of special because you get to have all your guys at the shop who don’t normally get to come to the race there and see all their hard work in action.”

Does the extra 100 miles wear on you at the end of the night, or is it just another 100 miles?

“You’re programmed to go 500 miles. So that last 100 miles is always a little bit different than what we normally do. We will probably lose a little more water weight than normal. However, all in all, it’s really not that big of a deal.”

What do you thing about the RCR/DEI merger to build engines?

“From my standpoint, I don’t know how it could be bad. Obviously, it’s going to give us more resources, more people, more engines and more cars on the track. It’s just going to give us more of everything. And when you can have more of everything, you’re going to wind up getting somewhere faster than you would by yourself.”