HARVICK TAKES THE WHEEL: The NASCAR Nationwide Series heads to Kentucky Speedway this week with the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series and the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series for the inaugural tripleheader weekend at the Sparta, Ky., facility. Behind the wheel of the No. 33 Rheem Chevrolet Impala, Kevin Harvick Inc. (KHI) co-owner Kevin Harvick will go for his second win at the 1.5-mile track on Friday night. This will be the first start at Kentucky for Harvick in his own equipment.
KENTUCKY FACTS: In two previous starts, Harvick has one win, one top-five and two top-10 finishes. The driver led 131 laps on his way to victory lane in 2001. The win was one of five that season and part of a record that scored the driver the first of two Nationwide Series championships (2006, 2001).
CHASSIS HISTORY: The No. 33 Rheem team will bring a brand new chassis to Kentucky Speedway this weekend. Chassis No. 080 has been tested in the wind tunnel and prepared for competition.
PREVIOUS RACE RECAP: The Nationwide Series headed to Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway last week with Clint Bowyer in the driver’s seat of the No. 33 Menards Chevrolet Impala. The team faced a hurdle early in the race weekend as an accident in practice forced the team to compete in the backup Chevrolet. In qualifying, KHI set a Nationwide Series record as the first organization to take the top four starting positions. Bowyer started from the fourth position and overcame an early-race setback at the 2.5-mile superspeedway. He raced among the top 10 only to have his night end before the checkered flag flew following an accident on lap 80. The Menards team was scored with a 34th-place finish.
HARVICK’S THOUGHTS ON KENTUCKY:
“It’s been a while since I’ve raced at Kentucky Speedway, but I’m looking forward to racing there this weekend. This is going to be a big weekend with it being the first time for the Sprint Cup Series to race at the track and having all three series there for a tripleheader. The fans are going to get to see three really great races. I was able to win at Kentucky in 2001. It’d be really great to get this Rheem Chevrolet into victory lane on Friday night.”