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KEVIN HARVICK – 2017 Dover II Race Report

Event:               Apache Warrior 400 (Round 29 of 36)
Series:               Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series
Location:          Dover (Del.) International Speedway (1-mile, concrete oval)
Format:             400 laps, broken into three stages (120 laps/120 laps/160 laps)
Start/Finish:      9th/17th (Running, completed 399 of 400 laps)
Point Standing:             6th with 3,015 points, advances to Round of 12

Race Winner:    Kyle Busch of Joe Gibbs Racing (Toyota)
Stage 1 Winner: Brad Keselowski of Team Penske (Ford)
Stage 2 Winner: Kyle Larson of Chip Ganassi Racing (Chevrolet)

Stage 1 Recap (Laps 1-120):

  • Kevin Harvick started ninth, finished eighth and earned three bonus points.
  • The Busch Beer Ford entered the top-five on lap 30 while reporting a tight-off handling condition.
  • Harvick gave up the second position to come to pit road under the green flag on lap 83 for four tires, fuel and small adjustments.
  • The No. 4 Ford lost a lap due to the pit cycle while racing in the seventh position when the caution flag was displayed on lap 88.
  • Harvick opted to take the wave-around to return to the lead lap on lap 90.
  • The No. 4 team pitted at the end of the stage for four tires, fuel and a small adjustment. 

Stage 2 Recap (Laps 121-240):

  • Started sixth, finished 23rd.
  • The Busch Beer Ford came to pit road under caution in the third position on lap 168 for four tires and fuel.
  • Harvick reported a loose rear wheel on lap 204 and dropped from fourth to sixth before pitting under the green flag on lap 217.
  • He returned to the track two laps down to the leaders in the 27th position and regained one lap by lap 228.
  • The No. 4 team pitted for four tires, fuel and an air pressure adjustment at the conclusion of Stage 2.

Final Stage Recap (Laps 241-400):

  • Started 23rd, finished 17th.
  • Harvick reported he was tight in traffic with 100 laps remaining as he raced in 22nd a lap down to the leaders.
  • The Busch Beer Ford had raced into sixth by lap 336 during a green-flag pit cycle as he tried to regain his lap.
  • The No. 4 Ford came to pit road on lap 336 for four tires, fuel and small adjustments and rejoined the field in 20th one lap down.
  • Harvick raced hard to gain three positions in the closing laps.

Notes:

  • Apache Warrior 400 at Dover is the third of the 10 playoff races to determine the 2017 NASCAR Cup Series champion.
  • There were four caution periods for a total of 24 laps.
  • Only 12 of the 40 drivers in the Apache Warrior 400 finished on the lead lap.
  • Harvick finished eighth in Stage 1 to earn three bonus points.

Playoff Standings (at the conclusion of the Round of 16):

  1.  Martin Truex Jr. (3,059 points)
  2.  Kyle Busch (3,041 points, -18)
  3.  Kyle Larson (3,034 points, -25)
  4.  Brad Keselowski (3,020 points, -39)
  5.  Jimmie Johnson (3,017 points, -42)
  6.  Kevin Harvick (3,015 points, -44)
  7.  Denny Hamlin (3,013 points, -46)
  8.  Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (3,010 points, -49)
  9.  Ryan Blaney (3,008 points, -51)
  10. Chase Elliott (3,006 points, -53)
  11. Matt Kenseth (3,005 points, -54)
  12. Jamie McMurray (3,003 points, -56)

Failed to Advance to Round of 12:

  1. Ryan Newman (2,067 points)
  2. Austin Dillon (2,065 points)
  3. Kasey Kahne (2,046 points)
  4. Kurt Busch (2,044 points)                                                                       

Next Up:

The next event on the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series schedule is the Bank of America 500 on Sunday, Oct. 8 at Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway. It is the fourth race of the 10-race playoffs and starts at 2 p.m. EDT with live coverage provided by NBC beginning at 1 p.m.