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Harvick Fights from Two Laps Down to a Fourth-Place Finish

Post-Race Reports | Truck Series | 04/02/11

MARTINSVILLE, Va. (April 4, 2011) — Kevin Harvick and the No. 2 Kevin Harvick Inc. (KHI) team headed back to Martinsville (Va.) Speedway with a mission: to win back-to-back spring NASCAR Camping World Truck Series races at the famous short track. 

The team found great success in seasons past, and hopes were high during the first of two practice sessions on Friday, as Harvick set the fastest time of 20.104 seconds (94.190 mph).  During the final practice session, Harvick expressed that the truck was incredibly loose.  The No. 2 team worked tirelessly to get the truck back to Harvick’s liking, making several adjustments to get the truck race ready. 

Harvick rolled off from the third position for the start of the 250-lap event, but as the field went green Harvick slowly began to fall back in the pack.  In those opening laps Harvick relayed to crew chief Bruce Cook that his truck was extremely loose.  The team made a chassis adjustment and air-pressure adjustment during the first pit stop in hopes of tightening up the truck.  Harvick pulled back onto the track in the 25th position for the restart, but back under green-flag conditions quickly relayed the handling was still off on the KHI machine. 

Major adjustments were made to the No. 2 truck during the second pit stop of the day, along with four tires and fuel.  The time needed to make the adjustments ultimately put the truck one lap down.  As Harvick pulled back onto the track it was noticed that a hood pin was loose, forcing Harvick to pull back into the pits going down a second lap during the caution period.  Harvick would restart the race in the 27th position on lap 77. 

The team fought hard as they worked their way back onto the lead lap, and by lap 108 the No. 2 Chevrolet was only one lap down.  As the race advanced past the halfway point, Harvick radioed to Cook and the KHI crew that the truck’s handling had significantly improved.  With the seventh caution period of the day on lap 158, Harvick was awarded another lap back placing the No. 2 team on the lead lap. 

Only 76 laps remained when Harvick pulled in for his final pit stop of the race.  The crew went with four tires, fuel and a minor chassis adjustment to slightly free up the truck’s handling. 

With 55 laps to go, Harvick and the No. 2 team had worked their way up to the tenth place position.  Happy with his truck’s handling, Harvick continued to work his way to the front of the field moving all the way back up the third position.  During the final laps Harvick fought hard to stay among the top three, but came across the finish line in fourth place. 
The Truck Series will roar back to action on Friday, April 22 at Nashville Superspeedway with the Bully Hill Vineyards 200.  Witness the action live on SPEED at 8:00 p.m. EST.

STATS RECAP
Race Info

April 2, 2011
Martinsville (Va.) Speedway
Race: 4 of 25
Driver: Kevin Harvick
Started: 3rd
Finished: 4th
Race length: 250 Laps/131.5 Miles
Track layout: 0.526-mile
Shape: Oval

Next on the Truck Series Schedule:
Date: April 22, 2011
Track: Nashville (Tenn.) Superspeedway
Event Name: Bully Hill Vineyards 200
Broadcast Time: SPEED 8:00 p.m., EST


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