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KEVIN HARVICK – 2017 Daytona 500 Race Report

Event:               59th Daytona 500 (Round 1 of 36)
Series:               Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series
Location:          Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway (2.5-mile oval)
Format:             200 laps, broken into three stages (60 laps/60 laps/80 laps)
Start/Finish:      5th/22nd (Running, completed 197 of 200 laps) 
Point Standing: 4th (42 points, 14 out of first)
 Race Winner:    Kurt Busch of Stewart-Haas Racing (Ford)

 

Stage 1 Recap (Laps 1-60):

  • Started 5th, finished 2nd.
  • The No. 4 car of Kevin Harvick led three times for 18 laps.
  • Harvick pitted on lap 32 for two tires and fuel immediately before the caution came out.
  • Earned nine points for his second-place finish in Stage 1.

 

Stage 2 Recap (Laps 61-120):     

  • Started 2nd, finished 1st.
  • Harvick led three times for 32 laps.
  • Harvick raced at the front the majority of the segment.

 

Final Stage Recap (Laps 121-200):          

  • Harvick pitted for four tires at the conclusion of Stage 2 and restarted farther back in the pack as several cars took two or no tires.
  • The No. 4 was collected in a 17-car accident on lap 129 and suffered substantial damage.
  • The team was able to continue following multiple stops for repairs but was taken out of contention for the win.

 

Notes:              

  • Harvick scored one playoff point for winning the second stage.
  • Harvick led six times for a race-high 50 laps to bring his laps-led total at Daytona to 229.

 

Kevin Harvick, driver of the No. 4 Jimmy John’s Ford Fusion for Stewart-Haas Racing:

 “We just got some cars up there that didn’t need to be up there and wound up doing more than their car could do. I’ve just got to thank everybody on our Jimmy John’s/Busch Beer Ford for everything that they’ve done all week. We had, I felt, the fastest car in the field and right in contention for both segments, and then it’s all tore up and it came to an end. What do you do?”

 

Next Up:                                                                        

The next event on the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series schedule is the Folds of Honor 500 on Sunday, March 5 at Atlanta Motor Speedway. The race starts at 2:30 p.m. EST with live coverage provided by FOX.