KEVIN HARVICK – 2017 Richmond I Race Report

Event:               Richmond 400 (Round 9 of 36)
Series:               Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series
Location:          Richmond International Raceway (.75-mile oval)
Format:             400 laps, broken into three stages (100 laps/100 laps/200 laps)
Start/Finish:      6th/5th (Running, completed 400 of 400 laps)
Point Standing: 6th (286 points, 112 out of first) 

Race Winner:    Joey Logano of Team Penske (Ford)
Stage 1 Winner: Matt Kenseth of Joe Gibbs Racing (Toyota)
Stage 2 Winner: Brad Keselowski of Team Penske (Ford)

Stage 1 Recap (Ended on Lap 100):

  • Kevin Harvick started sixth, finished fourth, earning seven bonus points.
  • Busch Light Ford Fusion entered the top-five on lap four.
  • Pitted for four tires, fuel and an air pressure adjustment under caution on lap 78.
  • Pitted at end of stage for four tires, fuel, wedge and air pressure adjustments to fix a loose-handling condition.

Stage 2 Recap (Ended on Lap 200):

  • Started fourth, finished third, earning eight bonus points.
  • Passed the No. 42 for the second position on lap 135.
  • Reported he was loose at the three-quarter mark and needed more help on exit.
  • Pitted at end of stage for four tires, fuel and an air pressure adjustments to help the car on the exit of the corner.

Final Stage Recap (Ended on Lap 400):

  • Started second, finished fifth.
  • Made the pass for the lead on lap 228.
  • Battled a tight-handling condition through the center of the corner and loose off throughout the final stage.
  • Restarted 10th following a caution on lap 381 on fresh tires while several cars opted to stay out.
  • Raced his way to fifth in the closing laps.

Notes:                          

  • Harvick’s fifth-place finish in the 400-lap race at Richmond was his third straight top-five finish of the season. Harvick finished third on Monday at Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway and fourth at Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth.
  • This is Harvick’s 12th top-five and 21st top-10 finish in 33 career NASCAR Cup Series starts at Richmond and his 157th top-five and 289th top-10 finish in 582 career Cup Series starts.
  • Harvick led three times for 11 laps to bring his laps-led total at Richmond to 1,061 and season laps-led total to a series-high 444.
  • There were nine caution periods for a total of 53 laps.
  • Twenty-eight drivers finished on the lead lap. 

Kevin Harvick, driver of the No. 4 Busch Light Ford Fusion for Stewart-Haas Racing:

“We had a good day. This has been a tough racetrack for us. We ran in the top-five all day and battled up front for the lead off and on. The last three runs we got tight in the center and loose off the corner and couldn’t find anything to make that better. Our Busch Light Ford team did a great job, and we just keep knocking off those top-fives. The wins will come. It was a lot of fun. That is what we want to be able to do, we want to be able to pass.”

Next Up:                                                                        

The next event on the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series schedule is the Geico 500 on Sunday, May 7 at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway. The race starts at 2 p.m. EDT with live coverage provided by FOX.

DANICA PATRICK – 2017 Richmond I Race Report

Event:               Richmond 400 (Round 9 of 36)
Series:               Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series
Location:          Richmond (Va.) International Raceway (.75-mile oval)
Format:             400 laps, broken into three stages (100 laps/100 laps/200 laps)
Start/Finish:      21st/18th (Running, completed 400 of 400 laps) 
Point Standing: 29th (110 points, 288 out of first) 
Race Winner:    Joey Logano of Team Penske (Ford)

Stage 1 Recap (Ended on lap 100):

  • Danica Patrick started 21st and finished 24th.
  • Patrick ran as high as 18th during the first stage of the race as the No. 10 Code 3 Associates Ford Fusion team battled a tight-handling racecar.
  • Patrick pitted three times during the stage so the team could change tires, add fuel, make wedge adjustments and pull tape from the grille to improve the car’s handling. 

Stage 2 Recap (Ended on lap 200):         

  • Patrick started 25th and finished 24th.
  • The tight-handling condition persisted for Patrick during Stage 2. She went a lap down to the leader at lap 189 but raced her way into the Lucky Dog position and was able to get back on the lead lap when the caution flag waved to end the stage.
  • At the end of Stage 2, crew chief Billy Scott called for the No. 10 Code 3 Associates Ford team to change tires, make air pressure adjustments, pull tape from the grille and add a spring rubber to the right rear. 

Final Stage Recap (Ended on lap 400):

  • Patrick started 24th and finished 18th.
  • Patrick raced her way up to 19th during the final stage of the race but fell back to 23rd as she continued to struggle with the car’s handling.
  • As the field cycled through green-flag pit stops, Patrick was one of several drivers called for a commitment line violation. As a result, she had to serve a pass-through penalty, which dropped the No. 10 Code 3 Associates Ford two laps down to leader in the 29th position.
  • Patrick worked her way back to one lap down, and when the caution flag waved at lap 343, Scott called for Patrick to stay out and take the wave-around, which put her back on the lead lap.
  • On the final restart, Patrick took the green flag in the 18th position and ran as high as 17th before taking the checkered flag in 18th. 

Notes:              

  • Patrick earned 19 points in Sunday’s race at Richmond, which puts her at 110 total points for the season thus far. She is ranked 29th in the driver point standings heading into next weekend’s race. 

Danica Patrick, driver of the No. 10 Code 3 Associates Ford Fusion for Stewart-Haas Racing: 

“We were just off to start the race, but the guys made changes all day in an effort to make the Code 3 Associates Ford handle better. The car was just way too tight in the center of the corner. The penalty definitely didn’t help matters, but we still came home with the best finish we’ve had in a while, so we’ll take it and move on to Talladega.” 

Next Up:                                                                        

The next event on the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series schedule is the Geico 500 on Sunday, May 7 at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway. The race starts at 2 p.m. EDT with live coverage provided by FOX.

KURT BUSCH – 2017 Richmond I Race Report

Event:               Richmond 400 (Round 9 of 36) 
Series:               Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series 
Location:          Richmond (Va.) International Raceway (.75-mile oval) 
Format:             400 laps, broken into three stages (100 laps/100 laps/200 laps)
Start/Finish:      9th/8th (Running, completed 400 of 400 laps) 
Point Standing: 17th (192 points, 206 out of first)
Race Winner:    Joey Logano of Team Penske (Ford)

Stage 1 Recap (Laps 1-100):

  • Kurt Busch started ninth, finished 20th.
  • Battled a loose-handling condition on corner entry and exit and was tight through the middle for much of the stage.
  • Pitted under caution on lap 66 for four tires, fuel, wedge and air pressure adjustments.
  • Visited pit road at the conclusion of Stage 1 to take four tires, fuel wedge and air pressure adjustments. 

Stage 2 Recap (Laps 101-200):

  • Started 19th, finished 25th.
  • Struggled with a loose-handling condition on corner entry and exit and was tight through the middle.
  • Lost a lap to the leader on lap 192.
  • Visited pit road at the conclusion of Stage 2 to take four tires, fuel, a right-front shock adjustment and a left-rear spring rubber.

Final Stage Recap (Laps 200-400):

  • Started 27th, finished eighth.
  • Was awarded the free pass as the first car one lap down when the caution flag waved on lap 250.
  • Pitted on lap 252 to take four tires, fuel, air pressure and another right-front shock adjustment.
  • Battled from 25th to finish eighth. 

Notes:

  • Busch made his 33rd Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series start at Richmond International Raceway.
  • Sunday marked Busch’s fourth top-10 finish of the 2017 season.
  • The Richmond 400 was Busch’s 100th short-track race in the NASCAR Cup Series.

Kurt Busch, driver of the No. 41 Mobil 1 Annual Protection Ford Fusion for Stewart-Haas Racing:

“We had to drop back and punt. We came down pit road a lap down, in the Lucky Dog position, and just started throwing rubbers and went wholesale on it and made great improvements. We are somehow missing the balance, but we were able to make changes today to improve the balance and be competitive enough to get in the mix. We got eighth, and that is about as best as we could hope to attain.”

Next Up:                                                                        

The next event on the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series schedule is the GEICO 500 on Sunday, May 7 at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway. The race starts at 2 p.m. EDT with live coverage provided by FOX.

CLINT BOWYER – 2017 Richmond I Race Report

Event:               Richmond 400 (Round 9 of 36)
Series:               Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series
Location:          Richmond (Va.) International Raceway (.75-mile oval)
Format:             400 laps, broken into three stages (100 laps/100 laps/200 laps)
Start/Finish:      8th/15th (Running, completed 400 of 400 laps)
Point Standing: 9th (266 points, 132 out of first)
Race Winner:    Joey Logano of Team Penske (Ford)

Stage 1 Recap (Ended at Lap 100):

  • Started eighth, finished ninth to earn two race points.
  • Bowyer, like most drivers, battled with a loose racecar in the opening laps.
  • After chassis changes during pit stop, Bowyer reported car wouldn’t turn. 

Stage 2 Recap (Ended at Lap 200):

  • Started seventh, finished eighth to earn three race points.
  • Crew said after adjustments Bowyer’s lap times were a tenth-of-a-second faster.
  • Bowyer climbed as high as sixth midway through the stage.

Final Stage Recap (Ended at Lap 400):

  • Started sixth, finished 15th.
  • Bowyer turned in top-five times throughout stage.
  • Commitment lane violation while entering pits with 81 laps to go and the drive-through penalty dropped Bowyer to 26th.
  • Bowyer returned to lead lap with 52 to go racing in 19th.
  • Contact with Ty Dillon coming to pit road caused significant damage to the front end of Bowyer’s car.
  • Bowyer rallied to 15th in closing laps.

Notes:              

  • Temperatures of 90 degrees outside and 140 degrees inside the car Sunday afternoon made for challenging conditions for all drivers.
  • Bowyer gained positions on nearly every pit stop during the 400-lap race.

Clint Bowyer, driver of the No. 14 Haas Automation Ford Fusion for Stewart-Haas Racing:             

“No doubt we’re disappointed. We were going to have a top-10 and maybe a top-five today. Everyone is trying hard. Car was good, and we had great pit stops today.”

Next Up:          

The next event on the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series schedule is the GEICO 500 on Sunday, May 7 at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway. The race starts at 2 p.m. EDT with live coverage provided by FOX.

COLE CUSTER – 2017 Richmond I Race Report

Cole Custer Finishes 13th at Richmond

Haas Automation Driver 12th in Season Standings

Date: April 29, 2017
Event: Richmond 250 (Round 8 of 33)
Series: NASCAR XFINITY Series
Location: Richmond (Va.) International Raceway (.75-mile oval)
Format: 250 laps, broken into three stages (75 laps/75 laps/100 laps)
Start/Finish: 16th/13th (Running, completed 254 of 254 laps in overtime)
Point Standing: 12th (154 points, 141 out of first)
Race Winner: Kyle Larson of Chip Ganassi Racing (Chevrolet)

Stage 1 Winner: Austin Dillon of Richard Childress Racing (Chevrolet)
Stage 2 Winner: Justin Allgaier of Junior Motorsports (Chevrolet

Stage 1 Recap (Laps 1-75):

  •  Started 16th, finished 15th.
  • Battled tight-handling conditions throughout Stage 1.
  • At the conclusion of Stage 1, Custer took four fresh tires and chassis adjustments.

Stage 2 Recap (Laps 76-150):    

  •  Started 16th, finished 12th.
  • Custer’s Ford Mustang improved in handling and battled its way to 10th place after the restart.
  • After a caution on lap 117, Custer restarted in the 12th position with 26 laps to go.

Final Stage Recap (Laps 151-254):      

  •  Started 10th, finished 13th.
  • Custer battled in and around the top-10 throughout the final stage.
  • A caution with 13 laps to go provided Custer the opportunity to take four fresh tires and restart in 12th place.
  • After a final caution, Custer restarted in the 10th position before being collected in an accident in overtime.

 Notes:                

  • This marked Custer’s second NASCAR XFINITY Series start at Richmond International Raceway and 13th overall start in the XFINITY Series.
  • This was Kyle Larson’s second win of the 2017 XFINITY Series season.

Cole Custer, driver of the No. 00 Haas Automation Ford Mustang for Stewart-Haas Racing:       

How was today’s race at Richmond?

“It was a bit of a struggle for our team today. We unloaded a fast Haas Automation Ford Mustang, and we were great in practice but just lost something in the race. We made some improvements to the car throughout the race but still needed a little more.”

Code 3 Associates Expands Role with Stewart-Haas Racing

Code 3 Associates is expanding its partnership with Stewart-Haas Racing. The 501(c)(3) non-profit organization specializing in animal rescue and recovery in disaster areas will feature its collaboration with the One Cure initiative for three races on the No. 10 Ford Fusion driven by Danica Patrick in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series while also adding a fourth race specific to Code 3 Associates.

One Cure is a project led by the Colorado State University Flint Animal Cancer Center (FACC) where innovative cancer treatments for pets are being researched in clinical trials to benefit people. The FACC sees more than 1,500 new animal cancer patients every year, with approximately 400 patients enrolling in these carefully monitored clinical trials specific to their cancer type. These canine and feline patients are helping pioneer cancer research, moving cutting-edge treatments out of the laboratory and into clinical practice, ultimately providing hope to the next generation of animal and human cancer patients.

To create awareness of the FACC and its groundbreaking work in comparative oncology, Code 3 Associates is using its established partnership with Stewart-Haas Racing and Patrick at the upcoming Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series races May 13 at Kansas Speedway in Kansas City, May 20 at Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway’s Monster Energy Open and Aug. 19 at Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway. Additionally, Code 3 Associates will serve as the primary sponsor of Patrick and the No. 10 team for the June 25 event at Sonoma (Calif.) Raceway.

“We need a new way to find potential cures for cancer, and pets may provide the answer,” said Dr. Rodney Page, director of the FACC. “Cancer is cancer, so what is learned in pets being treated for cancer holds promise to benefit people and vice versa. This approach is known as comparative or translational oncology, and it is the core of the One Cure concept. This partnership helps educate more people about comparative oncology and improves the lives of all cancer patients, whether they have two legs or four.”

“Code 3 Associates has championed animal welfare for more than 25 years, and One Cure allows us to take what’s learned from treating animals that are fighting cancer to people who are fighting the same battle,” added Nan Stuart, founder, Code 3 Associates. “Danica and Stewart-Haas Racing have been strong advocates for animal welfare and this extension of our partnership with them helps more people understand and appreciate One Cure’s mission.”

Patrick has always been an animal lover, and her fondness for animals became actionable as her racing career grew.

“I’ve given to all sorts of animal charities through the years, but One Cure is different. The purpose of One Cure is a game changer in finding a potential cure for cancer,” Patrick said. “Our pets are members of our families, and when they aren’t well, we want to do everything we can to help. Cancer has touched so many of us. Knowing we can use what we learn from keeping our animals healthy to potentially help save human lives is a cause I’m honored to support.”

To learn more about One Cure, please visit onecure.com.

About One Cure:

Cancer is cancer. The One Cure program is founded on the principle that cancer affects all creatures and that treatment breakthroughs come through collaboration between scientists and doctors who are working with both people and animals. This approach is known as comparative or translational oncology. It is the core of One Cure and serves as the guiding concept for the Flint Animal Cancer Center at Colorado State University. The center works to improve the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of cancer in pets and, by working with the human medical field, translates research findings and knowledge to help people with cancer. For more information, please visit onecure.com.

 

About Code 3 Associates:

Code 3 Associates, Inc., is a 501(c)(3) non-profit dedicated to providing professional animal disaster response and resources to communities, as well as administering professional training to individuals and agencies involved in animal-related law enforcement and emergency response. Its mission is accomplished through hands-on animal rescue and care operations during disaster events in the United States and Canada, and through certified animal welfare training seminars, which include animal cruelty training for investigators. More information is available at code3associates.org.

About Stewart-Haas Racing:

Stewart-Haas Racing is the title-winning NASCAR team co-owned by three-time Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series champion Tony Stewart and Gene Haas, founder of Haas Automation – the largest CNC machine tool builder in North America. The organization fields four entries in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series – the No. 4 Ford Fusion for Kevin Harvick, the No. 10 Ford Fusion for Danica Patrick, the No. 14 Ford Fusion for Clint Bowyer and the No. 41 Ford Fusion for Kurt Busch. The team also competes in the NASCAR XFINITY Series by fielding a full time entry – the No. 00 Ford Mustang for Cole Custer – and one part-time entry – the No. 41 Ford Mustang. Based in Kannapolis, North Carolina, Stewart-Haas Racing operates out of a 200,000-square-foot facility with more than 300 employees. For more information, please visit us on the Web at  www.StewartHaasRacing.com, on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/StewartHaasRacing, on Twitter @StewartHaasRcng and on Instagram @StewartHaasRacing.

COLE CUSTER – 2017 Richmond I NXS Advance

Event: Richmond 250 (Round 8 of 33)
Date: April 29, 2017
Location: Richmond (Va.) International Raceway
Layout: .75-mile oval

Cole Custer Notes of Interest

  • The Richmond 250 will mark Custer’s fourth race at Richmond (Va.) International Raceway and his second NASCAR XFINITY Series race at the .75-mile oval. In his first XFINITY Series start at Richmond, Custer claimed his first XFINITY Series top-10 (April 23, 2016).
  • Custer is no stranger to victory lane at Richmond. In 2014, he took the checkered flag after leading 52 laps in the K&N Pro Series East race. In Custer’s three combined starts in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East (two races) and NASCAR XFINITY Series (one race) at Richmond, Custer has a win, two top-five finishes, three top-10s and 76 laps led.
  • The Richmond 250 is the third of four Dash 4 Cash races on the 2017 XFINITY Series schedule. This means drivers will race for a $100,000 cash bonus. Each of the top-two full-time XFINITY Series drivers from Stage 1 and Stage 2 will become Dash 4 Cash-eligible in the final stage.
  • As a Dash 4 Cash race, no full-time Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series drivers with five or more years of experience are entered in the Richmond 250. This means the only NASCAR Cup Series drivers competing in the Richmond 250 are Austin Dillon, Ty Dillon, Daniel Suarez, Ryan Blaney and Kyle Larson. This is designed to give regular XFINITY Series drivers a better chance to win.
  • Last week at Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway, Custer placed in the top-two in Stage 1, giving him a shot at the $100,000 Dash 4 Cash bonus for the first time this season. In the final stage, he ran as high as third before being collected in an accident with only 38 laps to go, ending his race.
  • Custer participated in a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) event at Richmond on Thursday, where he taught nearly 500 Central Virginia eighth-grade students the science behind racing. As a freshman student at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Custer is an education advocate.
  • Custer is 12th in the XFINITY Series championship standings, 130 points behind series leader Elliot Sadler.
  • Custer is third in the XFINITY Series Rookie of the Year standings, 30 points behind leader William Byron and 13 points behind second-place Daniel Hemric. 

 

Cole Custer, Driver Q&A

You have a win, two top-fives and three top-10s at Richmond. What will it take to get your second win at Richmond?  

“Richmond is a tough place because you’re just slipping and sliding the whole time, so I think you’ll definitely need a car that can be good on a long run to win there. It’s a really smooth track, but you just slide around like you’re on ice. It makes it really fun and challenging.”

 This is your third Dash 4 Cash race. How does that play into your race strategy? Do you focus on the big check or the win?

 “I’d say you still go for the overall win because that’s what gets you into the playoffs. All of us will definitely be racing hard to get in the Dash 4 Cash spots and win all that money but, right now, the points are more important.”

 You’ve been highly involved in education and bringing more focus to younger fans this year. What is the importance of encouraging younger fans to get an education and learn about racing?

“It’s awesome to teach kids about the science behind racing because it can directly relate to what they learn in school. Learning the science side of racing can make it more interesting, too. Kids are the future of this sport, so it’s important to teach them more about racing.”

So far this season your finishes at Daytona, Phoenix, Fontana and Bristol have not been indicative of how well you’ve run. How confident are you knowing that your Haas Automation crew can put together such a fast Ford Mustang week after week?

 “I’m bringing a lot of confidence to Richmond because our team has built such fast Ford Mustangs each week. I feel like we’re really getting our short-track package together. I’m confident our Haas Automation team will be strong again this week.”

 

Jeff Meendering, Crew Chief Q&A 

What are your thoughts on racing at Richmond?

 “I’m excited to go to Richmond. Cole had a good run there last year in the XFINITY race and I’ve been on several different teams that have had good runs at that track. Richmond takes a similar setup to Phoenix, where we were in line to have a good finish until we were involved in an accident toward the end of the race.”

Knowing that the Haas Automation crew has put together a strong car every week but has been involved in unfavorable circumstances, what will it take to get a solid finish at Richmond?

“I don’t think we need to change anything we’re doing. If we keep unloading fast cars off the truck every week, we will start getting the finishes this team and Cole deserve.”

KEVIN HARVICK – 2017 Richmond I Race Advance

Kevin Harvick’s No. 4 Ford Fusion for Stewart-Haas Racing (SHR) will feature Busch Light for the first time this season during Sunday’s 400-mile Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series event at Richmond (Va.) International Raceway.

This weekend marks the first of five appearances by Busch Light on the No. 4 Ford Fusion in 2017. It will next appear May 13 at Kansas Speedway in Kansas City, then July 8 at Kentucky Speedway in Sparta, Aug. 13 at Michigan International Speedway in Brooklyn, and Nov. 12 Phoenix International Raceway.

Harvick will look to continue his momentum gained over the last two races and score his first win of the season this weekend and his third consecutive top-five finish.

Harvick’s history with Busch Beer goes back to his days racing in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, which was then known as the Busch Series. He won two championships in the stepping-stone division to the Cup Series. He won his first championship in 2001while racing in the No. 2 car for Richard Childress Racing. The Bakersfield, California native won five races, scored 20 top-five finishes, 24 top-10s and led 1,265 laps in 33 starts that season and beat runner-up Jeff Green for the championship by 124 points.

The 2014 NASCAR Cup Series champion scored his second Busch Series championship in 2006 while racing both the Nos. 21 and 33 cars for Childress. He scored nine wins, 23 top-five finishes, 32 top-10s and led 1,197 laps. That season, he dominated the competition and won the championship by 824 points over now-retired NASCAR Cup Series driver Carl Edwards.

Harvick is hoping to continue his success racing with Busch Light this weekend. He has 10 wins at Richmond between NASCAR’s top two touring series – three Cup and seven Xfinity. His most recent Cup Series win there came in April 2013, when he led only three laps but beat runner-up and current SHR teammate Clint Bowyer to the finish line by .343 of a second in overtime.

Harvick’s history at Richmond should give the No. 4 Busch Light team reason for optimism. He has 32 career Cup Series starts there and is the active leader in top-10 finishes with 20, lead lap finishes with 25, and has finished every race. He also has led laps in 17 of his 32 starts and ranks second in laps led with 1,050.

While his history at Richmond is impressive, so has been his speed to start the 2017 season. Through the first eight races, Harvick is the only driver to win two poles – the first at Atlanta Motor Speedway and the second at Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth. He leads the Cup Series in laps led with 433 and miles led with 697.642. He has also scored three stage wins to pick up playoff points, but unfortunately has had to overcome some subpar finishes, as well, due to contact on the racetrack.

This weekend, Harvick will attempt to put Busch Light in victory lane for the first time with his first win of the season and his fourth Cup Series win at the .75-mile Virginia oval.

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

 

What makes Richmond unique to you?

“Richmond has been a very successful racetrack for us as we’ve gone through the years. We finished both races in the top-five last year at Richmond so I think, as we go back this year, we’re going to shoot to be a little better than we were last year. We’ll try some different things. It’s been a very good racetrack for me in the past and I’m looking forward to going back. I like the short, flat tracks.”

Is back-to-back short tracks a good thing for the No. 4 team this time of year?

“I think short-track racing is something that we all enjoy any time we get to go do that. I don’t know if having back-to-back short tracks is good or bad for us. I think right now we are fortunate to be on the side of things going well. We’ll just show up and race again.”

Do you have a favorite win at Richmond?

“I remember the ones I lost more than I do the ones I won. I think the first one where Ricky Rudd and I were racing in 2001 was pretty cool. But I think, as you look back at the last one, we won in 2013 as part of a green-white-checkered finish and I think we came from seventh to win, so I didn’t really expect to win that one. I think the other two were probably fairly strong nights for us.”

 

CLINT BOWYER – 2017 Richmond I Race Advance

After finishing second Monday afternoon at Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway, one of the first people Clint Bowyer sought out on pit lane was Stewart-Haas Racing (SHR) teammate and friend Kevin Harvick, who finished third.

Congratulating each other after a good race was like old times for the pair. They have history.

Bowyer leaned on Harvick’s driving knowledge when he started his NASCAR career at Richard Childress Racing in 2005. The Emporia, Kansas native was new to the sport and Harvick was already winning races on a regular basis. Instead of reinventing the wheel, Bowyer quickly figured out it might be easier and wiser just to mimic what seemed to work well for Harvick both on and off the track. 

“Everything I have learned in this sport of racing and racecars was always in his seat, with his pedals and where his steering wheel was,” Bowyer said. “Kevin always had it and I didn’t know any better. I had never driven one of these cars before. Everything I did when I learned how to drive these cars was how Kevin did it.”

It seemed to work. At Childress, Bowyer started 217 Cup Series races, earning five victories and posting 31 top-five finishes. In the Xfinity Series races, he notched eight victories, including the 2008 series title. Bowyer and Harvick, who ultimately won 23 races at Childress, were not only friends but teammates who knew if one outran the other, then it was likely a good day. But those days came to an end when Bowyer left the team and joined Michael Waltrip Racing before the 2012 season and Harvick joined SHR in 2014.

SHR put the band back together when it announced Bowyer would take over the No. 14 vacated by three-time champion Tony Stewart, who retired from NASCAR competition after the 2016 season. Bowyer had some big shoes to fill in replacing a legend in Stewart, so he found a familiar friend to lean on for guidance.

“When I came to Stewart-Haas, they asked what I want to do with my pedals and seat and I said, ‘Hell, I don’t know, ask Kevin,’ Bowyer said. “It has been that way my whole career.”

Bowyer and Harvick are tied for eighth in the series standings and look to be contenders for the Cup Series title this season. Harvick seems to relish in his teammate’s success.

“I watched him drive his first stock car at RCR and, from that point on, he progressively learned and listened and brought a lot to the table as a driver,” Harvick said. “And we are good friends, which is something you can’t really buy. You either get along with somebody or you don’t. You communicate and drive like them or you don’t. It has been refreshing and fun to have him there and seeing him progress.”

Harvick isn’t Bowyer’s only resource. Bowyer said he values both SHR teammates Danica Patrick and Kurt Busch. Plus, there is always Stewart.

“Danica brings so much to SHR through her open-wheel experience and what she does away from the track,” Bowyer said. “Kurt really dissects his car more than anything I have ever heard. It really gets your mind going about maybe what you thought, or a trick somewhere. Makes you think about what maybe you were feeling when you thought you were feeling about something else. It’s a breath of fresh air to be in the meetings with those guys and debrief with them and work on the next week, or even just the race after practice.

“It is really cool to have those guys’ input going into a race, or the following week. What can I say about Tony except he’s one of the greatest drivers in the history of motorsports. Add in all the competition guys and you realize there’s a lot of brainpower at SHR. Gene Haas and Tony have built a really great racing organization.”

This week, Bowyer and his No. 14 Haas Automation Ford team led by crew chief Mike Bugarewicz, who was Harvick’s engineer before moving to the No. 14 team, visit Richmond (Va.) International Raceway for Sunday’s 400-lap race. Two of Bowyer’s eight career victories came at the .75-mile oval – in September 2015 and May 2008. He’s also notched four top-fives and led 348 laps there.

Bowyer would like nothing better than to visit victory lane again at Richmond. If he does, Harvick might be one of the first to come by victory lane or send a congratulatory text message.

Just like old times.

 

CLINT BOWYER, Driver of the No. 14 Haas Automation Ford Fusion for Stewart-Haas Racing:

 

You’ve come a long way in the last 18 months. Why would you be frustrated with second place after Bristol?

“You struggle and struggle and struggle for a year and a half here and, hell, next thing you know you’re being greedy about second. You know what I mean? That’s just the way racers are wired and the way it’s always been. Having a ton of fun and working hard and seeing the results is gratifying for this race team. I mean, we need sponsorship on the side of this car rather than the boss, and good runs like we had at Bristol, and positive momentum and mojo, is a good way to do that. You start getting that close to wins – know what I mean? – you can’t let too many of those go by the wayside. You’ve got to use those opportunities and capitalize on those opportunities but, definitely, a confidence- and momentum-builder, for sure.”

DANICA PATRICK – 2017 Richmond I Race Advance

Looking back at the history of Richmond (Va.) International Raceway, members of the Stewart-Haas Racing (SHR) organization have left their mark over the years.

SHR co-owner Tony Stewart scored his first career Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series victory at the .75-mile oval in September 1999 and has three career wins at the track.

Kevin Harvick first found his way to victory lane at Richmond in the September 2006 NASCAR Cup Series race and has since earned two additional wins there.

Kurt Busch scored his first NASCAR Cup Series win at Richmond in September 2005 and won his second there in April 2015.

Clint Bowyer first won at Richmond in the NASCAR Cup Series ranks in May 2008 and made a return trip to victory lane at the track in April 2012.

While Stewart, Harvick, Busch and Bowyer have made their respective marks in the NASCAR Cup Series, Danica Patrick’s success at Richmond thus far has come in the open-wheel ranks.

The IndyCar Series competed at Richmond from 2001 to 2009, and Patrick competed in five of those events. She finished sixth in 2007 and 2008, then scored a fifth-place result in 2009.

Patrick, driver of the No. 10 Code 3 Associates Ford Fusion for SHR, will make her ninth trip to Richmond in the NASCAR Cup Series for Sunday’s Richmond 400. In the September 2016 NASCAR Cup Series race at the .75-mile oval, she started 29th and scored her best-ever finish at the track – a 15th-place effort.

When Patrick returns to the track this weekend, her No. 10 Ford will carry the colors of Code 3 Associates, a 501(c)(3) non-profit dedicated to providing professional animal disaster response and resources to communities, as well as administering professional training to individuals and agencies involved in animal-related law enforcement and emergency response. Its mission is accomplished through hands-on animal rescue and care operations during disaster events in the United States and Canada, and through certified animal welfare training seminars, which include animal cruelty training for investigators.

Patrick enters Richmond looking to turn things around and get back to scoring top-20 results. While she knows her IndyCar experience at Richmond won’t assist her this weekend, Patrick and her No. 10 Code 3 Associates Ford team will be leaning on the knowledge of their SHR teammates in an effort to find NASCAR Cup Series success there.

 

DANICA PATRICK, Driver of the No. 10 Code 3 Associates Ford Fusion for Stewart-Haas Racing:

 

What are your overall thoughts on Richmond?

“I’ve always enjoyed going to Richmond. I had fun racing Indy cars there. I liked driving the Xfinity car there, as well. We didn’t have the greatest results, but it was still fun.”

 

What makes the racing so good at Richmond?

“When you have a good car, it creates opportunities to pass. Turns one and two are kind of tight, and three and four are more of a long corner, so it’s a challenge to set the car up. We slip and slide there a bunch, anyway. In the past, we typically raced at Richmond at night, so there’s usually more grip. I’m sure we’ll be sliding around this weekend, since it’s going to be a day race again this year.”

 

This is the second year in a row that the spring race at Richmond is scheduled to run during the day versus racing at night. What are your expectations for Sunday’s race?

“We are definitely going to be moving around a lot more than you typically see when we race at Richmond at night. I kind of think we’re going to be miserable some of the time. I mean, there are times where the tires fall off and you’re like, ‘Shoot me out here, it’s terrible.’ And I have a feeling we’re going to have a few ‘shoot me’ moments this weekend where it’s just going to be moving all around and it’s going to be a lot of work. But as long as we have the opportunity to pass, I mean, even if you’re slip-sliding around and it feels like crap and you’re passing somebody, it’s still fun.”