SPARTA, Ky: Kevin Harvick did not have the fastest car on Sunday – and at times appeared he was heading towards his worst performance of the 2020 NASCAR Cup Series, but a few lucky breaks and aggressive changes by crew chief Rodney Childers put the Stewart Haas Racing driver in contention for the win in the Quaker State 400.
When a caution waved during green flag pit stops, Harvick capitalized on track position to maneuver his No. 4 Hunt Bros. Pizza Ford Mustang to the race lead on Lap 255.
Harvick would have to withstand multiple challenges from Martin Truex Jr., the fastest car in the second half of the race, but when the caution flew or the final time, Harvick kept the lead but knew the restart with three laps to go is where his afternoon could take a dramatic turn.
With pushing and shoving from rows two and three behind Harvick and Truex, Harvick escaped the restart with the race lead, however, while battling Truex – Harvick’s No. 4 Stewart Haas Racing Ford Mustang broke loose in Turns 3 and 4 – opening the door for Ryan Blaney to take the bottom, while Harvick’s teammate Cole Custer utilized a push from Matt DiBenedetto to roll the far outside lane at the white flag.
Blaney’s car hit the apron of the race track sending his No. 12 Ford into Harvick with Custer using the momentum of the high side to barely clear Truex as the cars roared out of Turn 1.
Harvick with a significant tire rub after the contact with Blaney soldiered to a fourth-place finish behind Custer, Truex and DiBenedetto.
A win in Sunday’s race would have capped off the final NASCAR Cup Series track where the 2014 champion had not won – but he will have to wait another year for the opportunity despite the valiant effort.
“I just want to thank everybody from Stewart-Haas Racing and everybody from Hunt Brothers Racing,” said Kevin Harvick. “Our Ford Mustang was not very good today, but we got a good break with the caution.
“I had a couple good restarts there and got the car better, but still just not where we needed to be — but the restarts worked out in our favor and we were able to get the lead and Martin just misjudged there on the backstretch and got me sideways.
“I got out of the gas and that just brought everybody into the picture and then we were four-wide on the front straightaway here and the 12 (Ryan Blaney) hit the drain and came up and hit the side of the car and then i couldn’t see, so, yeah, it got wild and that’s what you’re supposed to do.”
After the race, Truex who has great respect for racing Harvick sought him out to discuss the final restart.
“I tried to slide up behind him off of (Turn) 2 there so I didn’t get freight trained,” Truex said. “I clipped his rear enough to turn him sideways.
“I told him obviously that was my bad. He knew it. Kevin and I have raced hard and clean all the time. It was just a little judgment error on my part. Luckily he hung onto it, was able to keep rolling.”
Even though Harvick didn’t earn his fifth win of the 2020 season, the Bakersfield, Calif. native was happy for his teammate and rookie driver Cole Custer.
“I’m just really happy for Cole Custer and everybody on the No. 41 Haas Automation Ford Mustang,” Harvick added. “That’s pretty cool to get your first win. As much as I would have loved to win, I’m glad that we kept it in the company.”
“Obviously, last week he was a big part of our win (at Indianapolis) and to get to victory lane in your rookie year is a big deal. Really happy for Gene (Haas) and everyone at Haas Automation and especially for Cole, he works really hard.”
Follow Chris Knight on Twitter @Knighter01.
