Skip to content

KEVIN HARVICK – 2017 Talladega II Race Advance

As the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series heads to the high banks of Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway for the Alabama 500, the second race in the Round of 12 in the 2017 playoffs, Kevin Harvick will be in the great outdoors hunting for a win to secure his second win of the season and lock in his position for the Round of 8.

Harvick’s No. 4 Ford Fusion for Stewart-Haas Racing (SHR) will feature a special-edition Busch Light outdoors paint scheme with iconic Realtree camouflage, blaze orange accents and a Busch Light trophy can giving a nod to the beer brand’s seasonal Great Outdoors packaging.

Busch Beer and Realtree come together to form a natural collaboration, as both brands have deep roots in outdoor pursuits. Given the overlaps between Busch Beer and Realtree, including established relationships with Harvick and SHR, it makes sense for the brands to team up at Talladega.

Busch’s Great Outdoors campaign runs through Nov. 20, with specially marked packs of Busch Beer and Busch Light featuring the new Great Outdoors look, introducing bold colors, wildlife and the brand’s iconic stream. The promotion features 30,000 golden trophy cans to be placed randomly nationwide, allowing lucky consumers to enter the Great Outdoors sweepstakes for a chance to win weekly prizes or the grand prize – a trip to Big Cedar Lodge with professional angler Kevin VanDam.

Busch Beer fans can also check out the collaboration on BuschBucks.com, where consumers can redeem points for Busch Beer and Realtree co-branded gear. The program is simple – register at BuschBucks.com, purchase eligible products and collect points by snapping a picture of the receipt and uploading it to BuschBucks.com. Redeem points for Busch-themed prizes ranging in point values, from apparel, coolers and tents, to scrap metal from Harvick’s No. 4 Ford Fusion. Race fans can head to BuschBucks.com for more details.

While consumers can win by enjoying a cold, crisp and refreshing Busch Light, Harvick will be trying to score his own prize Sunday afternoon at Talladega. A win would automatically secure his position in the Round of 8 in his pursuit of the ultimate NASCAR prize – the 2017 Monster Energy Cup Series trophy.

The Bakersfield, California native had a fast start in the Round of 12, securing two stage wins and a third-place race finish last weekend at Charlotte to provide a 26-point advantage over the ninth-place driver with two races remaining in the round.

Harvick has shown speed at the superspeedway races in 2017 – especially on qualifying day, where he has started sixth or better in the three restrictor-plate events on the season. While speed has been on his side, luck, on the other hand, has eluded the No. 4 team on race day, with a top restrictor-plate finish on the year of 22nd in the season-opening Daytona 500.

The 2014 NASCAR Cup Series champion’s lone Cup Series win at Talladega Superspeedway came in April 2010, when he started fourth and beat runner-up Jamie McMurray by .011 of a second – the 15th-closest finish in NASCAR Cup Series history.

Hopefully, with the help of Busch Beer and Realtree, Harvick can stalk his competitors in the closing laps and secure what may be one of the season’s most difficult trophies to capture.

 

KEVIN HARVICK, Driver of the No. 4 Busch Light Outdoors Ford Fusion for Stewart-Haas Racing:

 

Describe the intensity of restrictor-plate racing?

“Plate racing is something you have to be aggressive at just for the fact that, if you’re not aggressive, it always seems like you are not going to be where you need to be. Nine times out of 10, I believe, the aggressor is going to be the guy who comes out on the good side of things just for the fact that you’re making things happen and you’re not waiting for something else to happen. When you wait for something else to happen, that’s usually when you get in trouble because it’s usually someone else’s mess. You can still get in trouble if you’re aggressive, but it seems like, with this rules package and the way that things are, it’s best to stay aggressive and try to stay up front.”

Do you approach Talladega differently this year than in years past?

“I think, with the current points system, it’s better to stay up front and try to get as many points in each stage as you can throughout the day. Obviously, if you don’t qualify well, that makes it much more difficult but, with the new points system, I think you’re going to see a much different race. Guys aren’t going to be able to leave 20 potential points and playoff points on the table. They’re going to be racing for every point – that’s a good thing for the fans and should make it an exciting race.”