Harvick wins pole at ISM after penalty
Kevin Harvick shrugged off a cheating scandal to show he’s still a legitimate title contender by winning the pole for his final crack at making the championship race.
As for what exactly happened with his race-winning car last week, Harvick didn’t offer any new information after claiming the top starting spot at ISM Raceway in Avondale, Ariz.
“I don’t build the cars. I can’t tell you what’s good and what’s bad. I just show up and drive the cars,” Harvick said Friday.
But his crew chief, Rodney Childers, said Stewart-Haas Racing modified the spoiler on Harvick’s car because other teams were already doing similar alterations. Childers is suspended for the final two races of the season and working at the race shop in North Carolina as Harvick tries to overcome a devastating penalty issued this week for what NASCAR determined was a blatant case of cheating.
Harvick won last week at Texas. When the spoiler was removed from his No. 4 Ford during an extensive inspection in North Carolina, NASCAR discovered the part had been altered.
SHR did not appeal the penalty and acknowledged “NASCAR determined we ventured into an area not accommodated by its rule book.”
Golf
Paul Goydos, 54, birdied the par-5 18th for a 6-under 65 and a one-stroke lead in the PGA Tour Champions’ season-ending Charles Schwab Cup Championship in Phoenix. Goydos had six birdies in the bogey-free round in warm, sunny conditions.
• Matt Kuchar had a 7-under 64 with a fortunate bogey on his card to build a two-shot lead at 14 under over big-hitting rookie Cameron Champ (62) in Mayakoba Golf Classic in Playa del Carmen, Mexico. Kuchar surged into the mix with five consecutive birdies on the front nine.
• Sergio Garcia (71) held onto his lead as Louis Oosthuizen’s second-round charge (an eagle and five birdies for a 67) took him to within a shot of the Spaniard at the Nedbank Challenge in Sun City, South Africa.
• Gaby Lopez turned 25 and celebrated with a hole in one that helped her to a 6-under-66 and a one-stroke lead over Ariya Jutanugarn (71) after the third round of the Blue Bay LPGA in Hainan Island, China.