This Week’s Budweiser Folds of Honor Chevrolet at Charlotte Motor Speedway ... Kevin Harvick will pilot Chassis No. 373 from the Richard Childress Racing NASCAR Sprint Cup Series stable. This chassis was used in competition last season by the No. 29 team at Michigan International Speedway in August, Charlotte Motor Speedway in October and Homestead-Miami Speedway in November where Harvick finished 22nd, sixth and eighth, respectively.
Charlotte Stats ... Harvick has made 22 Sprint Cup Series starts at the 1.5-mile track throughout the last 11 seasons. The Bakersfield, Calif., native has collected two top-five and six top-10 finishes, along with a Sprint Cup Series victory during the Coca-Cola 600 in 2011. Harvick also led five of the 7,553 laps he has completed.
In the Loop in 2012 ... According to NASCAR’s Season-to-Date Loop Data Statistics, Harvick has competed in 11 Sprint Cup Series events so far this season while gathering solid stats among his fellow competitors in categories including: second in Green Flag Speed (8.2 average running position), fifth in both Fastest Driver Late in a Run (9.7 average running position) and Fastest Driver on Restart (13 average running position). The 36-year-old driver also ranks sixth in Fastest in Traffic (12.182 average running position), eighth in Fastest Driver Early in a Run (9.6 average running position) and Percent of Laps Run on the Lead Lap (86.04 percent) and ninth in Laps in the Top 15 (2,458).
Red, White and Blue Summer ... The No. 29 Budweiser Folds of Honor Chevrolet will don a special red, white and blue patriotic paint scheme for six races this summer starting with Sunday’s 600-mile event at Charlotte Motor Speedway. The paint scheme reflects the special “Red, White and Blue Summer” packaging featured on the iconic Budweiser bottles and cans as part of a summer initiative in which the brand will contribute a portion of all sales from May 20 - July 7 to help raise as much as $2.5 million for the Folds of Honor Foundation*, which provides post-secondary educational scholarships for families of U.S. military personnel killed or disabled while serving their country. The Folds of Honor logo will also be featured on the rear bumper of the No. 29 Chevrolet. In addition to Sunday’s race, Harvick’s Budweiser ride will feature the “Red, White and Blue Summer” paint scheme for NSCS races at Michigan International Speedway (June 17), Kentucky Speedway (June 30), Daytona International Speedway (July 7), Pocono Raceway (Aug. 5) and Watkins Glen International (Aug. 12). (*Maximum donation of $2.5 million includes $5,000 for every walk-off in select 2012 professional baseball games and a portion of sales for every case of Budweiser sold, 5/20-7/7.)
Grow One, Save A Million. ... The No. 29 team and more than 50 other members of the Sprint Cup Series garage are taking part in Budweiser’s “Grow One. Save a Million.” pledge to help save a million gallons of water for World Environment Day (June 5) by not shaving. On average, men use three-10 gallons of water each time they shave. Budweiser is asking men to take the pledge on Budweiser’s Facebook page. Additionally, those who can’t grow a beard can pledge to turn off the tap while brushing their teeth for two weeks or shorten their showers by 20 minutes total over the span of two weeks.
Fore! ... On Wednesday, Harvick will tee off in the third annual John Paul Linville Memorial Golf Classic Presented by BB&T Wealth, an event that honors wife DeLana’s father who lost his battle with cancer in 2005. Funds raised at the tournament will benefit the Kevin Harvick Foundation which is dedicated to the support of programs that positively enrich the lives of children throughout the United States, including the Chase Your Dreams Grant Program, Kevin’s Krew and Christmas for Kids Party.
Sunday Cruise for a Cause ... Following driver introductions for the Sprint Cup Series event on Sunday, Harvick will participate in the Ride of a Lifetime lap, with one lucky fan joining the RCR driver in the parade vehicle. The proceeds generated from the auction benefit the Speedway Children’s’ Charities along with the Kevin Harvick Foundation. Harvick will also participate in the Ride of a Lifetime lap at Infineon Raceway in June, New Hampshire International Speedway in July, Bristol Motor Speedway in August, Atlanta Motor Speedway and New Hampshire International Speedway in September, Charlotte Motor Speedway in October and Texas Motor Speedway in November for the Sprint Cup Series events. For more information on the Ride of a Lifetime auctions visit www.speedwaycharities.org.
Racing for Education ... Mayor of Midland, N.C., Kathy Kitts remains a Harvick fan leading into Sunday’s race. Her town was paired with the driver of the No. 29 Chevrolet for Charlotte Motor Speedway’s May Race to Education program, which randomly matched up competitors in the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race with area community leaders vying for a chance to win educational grants. If Harvick wins the Coca-Cola 600, the town of Midland will receive a $20,000 zMAX Race to Education award.
Hometown Heroes ... Seven members of the No. 29 RCR crew call the Tar Heel State home and will be competing in front of family and friends during the marquee event at Charlotte Motor Speedway on Sunday. Engine turner Wesley Adams and interior mechanic Scott Brewer both hail from Winston-Salem. Hauler driver Dennis Gammons is from Mt. Airy, while front tire carrier Austin Craven was raised in High Point. Jack man Jason Hunt calls Greensboro home and gas man Bryan Smith is a Hendersonville native.
Double Duty ... In addition to competing in the Coca-Cola 600 Sunday evening, Harvick will also climb behind the wheel of Richard Childress Racing’s No. 33 Hunt Brothers Pizza Chevrolet for the History 300 Saturday afternoon. The NASCAR Nationwide Series race will air live on ABC beginning at 2:30 p.m. ET and will be broadcast live on PRN Radio and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.
2012 FAN DAY ... Harvick is scheduled to participate in an autograph session at Childress Vineyards on May 25 beginning at 2:00 p.m. ET and will sign autographs with Richard Childress and fellow RCR teammates Jeff Burton and Paul Menard at the ‘12 FAN DAY co-hosted by the RCR Museum and Childress Vineyards.
Defending Winners ...Harvick and the No. 29 Budweiser team scored their third victory of the 2011 season by stretching fuel mileage to pick up a win during last year’s Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Harvick’s trip to Victory Lane came after overcoming handling issues, getting caught a lap down twice as the caution flag waved during rounds of green-flag pit stops and late-race fuel strategy.
In the Rearview Mirror: Sprint All-Star Race ... Harvick and the No. 29 Budweiser/Rheem team captured asixth-place finish last Saturday night during the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race after battling a tight-handling condition throughout the non-points event at Charlotte Motor Speedway.
KEVIN HARVICK QUOTES:
With the age of instant gratification that everyone seems to be looking for, do you think it’s still necessary to have a 600-mile race like this weekend’s? “I think (the Coca-Cola 600) is a historic race in our sport. It’s the ultimate test of team, driver, engines and every part on the car. The sport is not all about just running a 250-mile race, it’s about making your car last. It’s more than just having a fast car and lining them up and running a short race. It’s really about the attrition of the whole night and surviving it. As things change through the night you have to keep up with the race track and if your car won’t run then you’re done. NASCAR needs a race like this because those are the types of things the sport was built on.”
How big of a deal is that extra 66 laps in the Coca-Cola 600? “I think as a driver you are mentally prepared and kind of just know how long a 500-mile or 400-mile race is, but I think the people who worry about it the most are the engine guys just because everything they do is set off of 500 miles, so they probably worry about it a lot more than we do.”
What was the coolest part of winning last year’s race? “The coolest part about winning the Coke 600 to me was walking up to the top (of Smith Tower), seeing all the fans who’d hung out in The Speedway Club and being able to drink a few Budweisers with them afterward. The fan base we have in this area is very loyal and they’ve been here for a long time. Seeing those folks in The Speedway Club was the coolest part.”
You’ve made it known before that Charlotte Motor Speedway isn’t one of your favorite tracks. What is it that you don’t like about the track? “It’s nothing to do with the facility or the people or anything like that. Charlotte’s just been a place that’s been tough for me to understand the feel that I need in the car to make it go fast and be competitive. As we’ve come here the last couple of years that performance has been better and we’ve had some decent finishes including our Coca-Cola 600 win last year.”