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KEVIN HARVICK – 2018 NXS Darlington Race Report

Date: September 1, 2018
Event: Sport Clips Haircuts VFW 200 (Round 24 of 33)
Series: NASCAR Xfinity Series
LocationDarlington (S.C.) Raceway (1.366-mile oval)
Format: 147 laps, broken into three stages (45 laps/45 laps/57 laps)
Start/Finish: 7th/29th (Accident, completed 111 of 147 laps)

Race WinnerBrad Keselowski of Team Penske (Ford)
Stage 1 Winner: Ross Chastain of Chip Ganassi Racing (Chevrolet)
Stage 2 WinnerRoss Chastain of Chip Ganassi Racing (Chevrolet)

Stage 1 Recap (Laps 1-45):

● Harvick started seventh and finished third.
● Before a caution on lap three, Harvick was shuffled to ninth place.
● He piloted the No. 98 Ford back into the top-five by lap 21 and continued to climb through the field before the stage ended.
● Harvick took the Hunt Brothers Pizza Ford to the pits for four tires, fuel and adjustments at the end of the stage and gained one position.

Stage 2 Recap (Laps 46-90):

● Harvick started second and finished third.
● Harvick drove the Hunt Brothers Pizza Ford Mustang to the lead when the green flag waved and led 18 laps.
● During a lap-77 caution, Harvick told crew chief Richard Boswell that he needed more rear grip to roll through the center of the turns better.
● He held the Hunt Brothers Pizza Ford in third place until Stage 2 ended and continued to note tight-handling conditions.
● Harvick pitted for four tires, fuel and wedge adjustments between stages.

Final Stage Recap (Laps 91-147):

● Harvick started third and finished 29th.
● Harvick moved the Hunt Brothers Pizza Ford to second place by lap 107.
● With 37 laps to go, Harvick and Ross Chastain battled for the lead.
● The No. 42 car of Chastain made contact with the right-rear quarter panel of the No. 98 Ford sending Harvick into the wall and ending his day.

Notes:               

● He led once for 18 laps to bring his laps led total to 207 in 16 career Xfinity Series starts at Darlington.
● Six cautions slowed the race for 30 laps.
● Only 18 of the 40 drivers finished on the lead lap.
● Brad Keselowski won the Sport Clips Haircuts VFW 200 to score his 39th career Xfinity Series victory, third of the season and first at Darlington.