NASCAR’s Cup Series: Harvick heads back to victory lane
SONOMA, Calif. — Kevin Harvick led a 1-2-3 podium sweep for Ford while proving experience still counts for something in NASCAR’s Cup Series.
The 41-year-old driver headed to victory lane for the first time this season after a dominating run Sunday on the road course at Sonoma Raceway. The 2014 season champion ended a skid of 20 races without a victory that dated to last fall at Kansas Speedway.
Harvick had been overshadowed by a crop of new, young superstars this season. But at a track where experience and ability can separate the field, it was Harvick and a bunch of veterans who led the way.
Sonoma was one of just four active tracks where Harvick, who is from Bakersfield, Calif., had never scored a Cup Series victory. He did, however, win the K&N Series race there the day before, and it may have given him some inside knowledge in his 17th attempt for a Cup Series win on the winding course in wine country.
“It kept me from sitting around and trying to find something to do on Saturday,” Harvick said. “I think that was
the biggest thing. I’m sitting around, and there’s guys .out here making laps and learning things, and I think that’s the most important thing, is to never take for granted that you have to try to expand your knowledge and keep an open mind to making things better.
“To finally check this one off the list …. being so close to home and having raced here so much, this was one that was on the top of the list.”
Harvick was on cruise control and conserving fuel in the race, which ended under caution after Kasey Kahne wrecked on the final lap. Either way, Harvick had a cozy nine-second lead over Stewart-Haas Racing teammate Clint Bowyer before the caution. Bowyer finished second and Brad Keselowski third.
Stewart-Haas Racing switched to Ford this season, and Harvick had spent 16 years in a Chevrolet.
It was Ford’s seventh victory of the season. The manufacturer won eight races last season, and seven came from Team Penske drivers. This year, Ford has wins from Penske, Roush-Fenway Racing, The Wood Brothers and Stewart-Haas.
“I had mixed emotions about how the year was going to go just because of the fact that we had a lot on our plate to switch over,” Harvick said. “It’s just a big undertaking, and one day I think when we get done with this year, I think everybody will actually learn all the details of all the things that it took to get to this particular point.
“It’s a huge undertaking, and I think it says a lot about our people at Stewart-Haas Racing.”
Martin Truex Jr. led 25 laps but suffered an engine failure and finished 37th. Truex won the first stage of the race, his series-leading 11th stage victory. Jimmie Johnson won the second stage, his first stage victory, but finished 13th overall.
Kyle Larson and Jamie McMurray started on the front row for Chip Ganassi Racing. McMurray was 10th, but Larson, the season points leader, was never a factor and finished 26th.
Most of the top-10 finishers were veteran drivers. Joe Gibbs Racing teammates Denny Hamlin and Kyle Busch were fourth and fifth in Toyotas, while Dale Earnhardt Jr. was sixth and had the highest-finishing Chevrolet, and Kurt Busch was seventh.
Then came Chase Elliott and Ryan Blaney, who along with Larson are some of the newer faces in NASCAR.