Photo Credit: Noel Lanier
For the AAA 400 Drive for Autism at Dover International Speedway this past weekend, Kevin Harvick, driver of the No 4. Jimmy John’s Chevrolet would have issues on pit road and a wreck that saw him have to settle for a top-15 finish.
The Bakersfield, California native would start from the pole position after rain washed out qualifying and the field was set by practice times. He started the racing looking like he would dominate as he led 114 laps at the beginning. When caution came out for the fourth time, he would bring his car down pit road to take four-tires, while several other teams took a different strategy taking with taking two-tires or staying out under the caution. The outcome was he would restart in 12th position on Lap 178.
Harvick battled back getting in to the top-10 when on Lap 214, Reed Sorenson wrecked in turn three causing Jimmie Johnson to spin in front of him. To avoid contact Harvick had to come to a complete stop on the track and that would drop him even farther back in the field to 20th.
He was determined as he worked his way back up through the field, getting back up to fourth, when unfortunately an 18-car accident happen following the restart on Lap 335. The No 4. Stewart-Haas Chevrolet would suffered damage to the front end and have to come in for repairs and get a penalty for coming down pit road too early.
After the accident that caused sufficient damage he wouldn’t be able to rebound and finished in the 15th position.
“We had a good Jimmy John’s Chevrolet,” said Rodney Childers, crew chief for Harvick. “We had driven from 20th back to fourth there before the caution. You had a couple of guys stay out and caused a big mess on the restart and got tore up.
“The guys did a good job on pit road to keep it out there and keep it going and at least get a decent finish out of it.”
