Kevin Harvick Blames Pit Crew for Coca-Cola 600 Loss

Winning two out of the last three Coca-Cola 600 Sprint Cup Series races at Charlotte Motor Speedway driver of the No. 4 Budweiser Folds of Honor Chevrolet, Kevin Harvick, finished the night with a second place finish.

Harvick dominated the first portion of the race leading 100 laps.  After combating a loose wheel and slower than desirable pit stops, Harvick found himself battling his way back to the front late in the race with not even time left to capture the win.

On pit road, in a post-race interview with ESPN’s Marty Smith, Harvick expressed discontent with his pit crew stating yet again they had the best car on the racetrack in the Coca-Cola 600, and mistakes on pit road cost him.

Even though Harvick, along the Joey Logano, are the only two drivers this season with two wins and virtually guaranteed a spot in the Chase, Harvick is exemplifying the true racer attitude by not being complacent with only those two wins.

Harvick commented his run in the media center after the race.  He stated, “We had a fast car all night.  Just kind of fumbled again on pit road.  Got behind, got a lap down.  We needed a 700-mile race to get back to where we needed to be.  All in all, they’re doing a great job putting cars up on the track, we just have to clean up on pit road.”

With Jimmie Johnson struggling at the beginning of the season and capturing his first victory tonight, Harvick was asked if tonight’s win suggests that the No. 48 team is back.  He commented, “I look at it as we let them slip one in front of us by shooting ourselves in the foot.  You knew that was going to come.  They’ve won championships and done a great job through the years.  They were solid all weekend, didn’t make any mistakes, kept themselves up front all night and won the race.  In the end you’re going to have to beat them in all ways, shapes or forms, just not on speed.”

Harvick ends the night 12^th in NASCAR Sprint Cup Series points, and is looking ahead to the  FedEx 400 Benefiting Autism Speaks Sprint Cup Series race next weekend at Dover International Speedway.

About the Author

Kala Perkins-Holtsclaw

Editor

Kala is an aspiring NASCAR writer, photographer, and Assistant Director of Institutional Assessment at Virginia Tech University. She lives in the Northeast Tennessee area just minutes away from the "World's Fastest Half-Mile." She is an avid lover of short track racing, including local and regional touring series. Follow her on Twitter @kalaperkins11.

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