Kevin Harvick is no Lame Duck, taking victory in Sprint Unlimited
“That’s one for the Lame Ducks. We’ll see how many we can get.”
When the season started, there were some concerned that Kevin Harvick would not have a good season after announcing that he would leave Richard Childress Racing at season’s end to make the move over to Stewart-Hass Racing. Those jokes were put aside as Harvick led the final 12 laps on his way to winning the Sprint Unlimited. It marks his third victory in the Daytona non-points race while marking the eighth win in the event for car owner Richard Childress.
“I was really kind of nervous about the 20 and the 14,” Harvick said. “I thought they had cars stronger than ours. I want to thank Sprint and the race fans. This is for everybody in the stands and sitting at home. Good way to start off speedweeks.”
Harvick also added that when it comes to his team at the track, they don’t think about the lame duck scenario.
“I think it is one of those deals that for us, it’s all about winning races,” he said. “The politics and everything is what it is, but when we get to the race track, it’s all about winning the race. For those guys, that’s all they think about.”
Greg Biffle would finish second after trying to pull a move on Harvick on the last lap down the backstretch to try and win the event.
“The 3M Ford Fusion really was strong all night,” he said. “It seemed like some cars were better than we were and we will work on our stuff for the 500. I had a run on him at the top there and he closed the door. Kevin did what he had to do to win that race. I didn’t think there was room to stick it in there. I thought we would end up wrecked. I looked in the mirror but didn’t have any help. I was against his bumper but couldn’t do anything. I am happy to come home second. I have been so close so many times here at Daytona. It would feel nice to win one.”
Joey Logano would take third in his first start with Penske Racing after initiating the moves on the last lap of the race by diving out of the single-file line in the tri-oval coming to the white flag.
“It is hard to make a move with these cars and the runs aren’t big enough,” Logano said. “The old car had a really big run and these cars don’t have a huge run. You are trying to get everyone to form up and tighten up and everyone is trying to do the same thing. I just checked up a little on the front stretch and made my move from seventh and I knew it wasn’t enough to get to the front but I knew the 20 was fast and he would push me along. We made the best of it.”
Tony Stewart and Matt Kenseth would finish fourth and fifth after leading a chunk of the race each.
For Stewart, it wasn’t a clean race as he would trigger a wreck on lap 15 after trying to make a move on Kenseth for the lead.
“I got a big run on the 20 (Kenseth), and went on the bottom, and the spotter didn’t clear me so I went before I knew,” Stewart said. “I was trying to make a move for the lead, and was probably a little anxious. I was feeling good about moving up, a little too racey.”
Stewart would save the car, however the field would accordian behind him and contact between Denny Hamlin and Jimmie Johnson would trigger a pile-up, collecting Mark Martin, Jeff Gordon, Kyle Busch and Kurt Busch. It marks the second wreck of the weekend for both Martin and Kurt Busch after they wrecked during the first Sprint Unlimited practice session.
“I haven’t seen the replay yet but I saw a car sideways and I thought we were all going to fine and then the cars up higher on the track tangled for some reason and that’s when the wreck really happened,” Martin said. “I was headed through, squeezed Martin (Truex Jr.) down and looked like I was going to make it through. Gosh, we didn’t get that far did we?”
“It wasn’t bad,” Kyle Busch said. “We really and’t gotten going yet. Just really unfortunate as we. Just don’t know what happened. Some car got sideways and then the 11 and 48 got together and we got sandwiched into the fence. Just feel bad for these M&M guys for all their hard work getting crashed out. Not enough pieces to make it go around again. I think it’s hurt on every corner.”
“That was way too short,” Gordon said. “Half the battle and goal was to learn something for next week’s Duel and 500. The cars, as far back as I was, become a handful. I was handling good, just need more speed so I’ll work on it. I saw some guy got sideways on the inside, and it dominoed all the way back to the outside lane.”
“I saw sparks in front of me and what started that and knew it wasn’t going to end well and sure enough, I was collected,” Johnson said. “Didn’t get many laps. The 14 and I were working on the outside. Got some ideas for the 500 set-up. “
“Whatever happened with Stewart – whether he got loose or got hit. Wished we could’ve ran a little bit more, but that’s what happened,” Hamlin said.
Daytona Speedweeks will continue tomorrow with Daytona 500 qualifying.
Sprint Unlimited Unofficial Results
- Kevin Harvick
- Greg Biffle
- Joey Logano
- Tony Stewart
- Matt Kenseth
- Aric Almirola
- Kasey Kahne
- Dale Earnhardt Jr.
- Martin Truex Jr.
- Juan Pablo Montoya
- Marcos Ambrose
- Carl Edwards
- Kurt Busch
- Jimmie Johnson
- Denny Hamlin
- Kyle Busch
- Jeff Gordon
- Mark Martin
- Terry Labonte
Harvick Backs Up Practice Talk And Wins Third Sprint Unlimited Title
Kevin Harvick ran two very impressive practice sessions in preparation for the Sprint Unlimited this evening. He was the fastest in the first session and backed up that speed with a fourth quickest time in the final practice for the race to put his average at 2.5 for the weekend. Greg Biffle was third quickest in both practice sessions to put his average right on the dot at third. 0.5 was exactly how close Harvick was to wrecking on the final lap of the Sprint Unlimited.
Harvick blocked a charging Greg Biffle in the waning seconds of the Sprint Unlimited heading into turn-3 and it was Harvick who held off Biffle for his third Sprint Unlimited victory, tying him with Tony Stewart and 3-time Daytona 500 champion Dale Jarrett. Only one more driver has more Unlimited wins and that is the late Dale Earnhardt, who had six.
Joey Logano came in third place followed by Stewart, and Matt Kenseth. Kenseth seemed to have the most dominant car of the night, but got shuffled back late and couldn’t make it back up to the front to challenge Harvick.
That wasn’t the only wreck avoided tonight for Harvick. On Lap 15, it was an actual wreck. Tony Stewart saw a chance on Lap 15 to dive to the inside to take the lead position away from Matt Kenseth, but came right across the nose of the No.9 of Marcos Ambrose. Ambrose ended up okay, but a chain reaction crash behind them began to progress. Drivers let off the gas ever so slightly as if they were afraid Ambrose or Stewart would come back up the race track. Denny Hamlin plowed into the side of Jimmie Johnson. He spun around and collected his teammate Jeff Gordon, Kyle Busch, Mark Martin, and Kurt Busch. Martin Truex Jr. received some cosmetic damage, but he was able to continue.
Tony Stewart will not be a very popular guy after the race. He also later made contact with Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr.’s damage disrupted the aerodynamic flow in his race car and could really never get back up to help Kasey Kahne.
Stewart won the first segment of the race, while Kevin Harvick led the final two to take home the win.
Lap by Lap: Sprint Unlimited won by Kevin Harvick
With a thrilling block on the last lap, Kevin Harvick would take the victory in the Sprint Unlimited as he heads into his final season with Richard Childress Racing.
Lap 1 Kasey Kahne and Greg Biffle side-by-side for the lead. Biffle gets the shot and leads ahead of Kahne and Hamlin.
Lap 2 Biffle leads Kahne Hamlin Truex Gordon Almirola. Truex trying to make a run on the outside with help from Almirola.
Lap 3 Truex passes Biffle for the lead
Lap 4 Truex leads Almirola Ambrose Biffle Kenseth. Terry Labonte to pit road.
Lap 5 Truex leads as Almirola and Ambrose run side-by-side for second. Tuex leads Kenseth Ambrose Earnhardt Jr Biffle……Kenseth to the lead as the field splits through turn two. Almirola back to 17th
Lap 6 Kenseth leads Ambrose Biffle Truex Hamlin
Lap 7 Kenseth leads Ambrose Biffle Earnhardt Jr. Hamlin…..Edwards and Kahne pass Hamlin for fifth.
Lap 8 Top three single file while Earnhardt Jr. and Edwards are side-by-side for fourth
Lap 14 Kenseth leads Ambrose Biffle Stewart Kurt Busch
Caution lap 15 Stewart gets sideways trying to get under Kenseth, everybody reacts behind – Hamlin gets into Johnson and the wreck is on. Collected include Mark Martin, Jeff Gordon, Kyle Busch, Kurt Busch. Stewart takes full apology for incident on radio.
Restart lap 20 Kenseth leads Stewart and Biffle
Lap 23 Biffle takes the lead for a moment, before Kenseth goes back by with help from Harvick
Lap 26 Kenseth leads Harvick Truex Stewart Kahne Edwards
Lap 28 Kenseth leads Harvick Stewart Edwards Truex
Lap 29 Stewart passes Harvick for second
Lap 30 Stewart passes Kenseth for the lead with help from Harvick.
Stewart leads segment 1 ahead of Kenseth Harvick
Restart – Stewart and Harvick start side-by-side……Stewart leads Kahne while Kenseth and Harvick side-by-side for third
Lap 32 Stewart Kahne Harvick Kenseth Truex……Kenseth by Harvick for third…….Stewart lead as Kahne and Harvick side-by-side for second.
Lap 34 Stewart Harvick Kahne Kenseth Biffle……Harvick by Stewart with help from Biffle
Lap 35 Harvick leads as Biffle and Stewart run side-by-side for second……Harvick Biffle Logano Earnhardt Jr. Stewart
Lap 41 Harvick leads Biffle Stewart Truex Logano…..Harvick leads as Biffle and Stewart side-by-side for second
Lap 42 Harvick and Stewart side-by-side for the lead
Lap 43 Stewart leads Harvick Truex Biffle Kenseth
Lap 50 Harvick leads Biffle Logano Ambrose Truex
Lap 53 Stewart and Earnhardt Jr. make contact…Earnhardt Jr. drops back to rear with possible issue.
Lap 55 Harvick Biffle Logano Truex Kenseth Ambrose – ends of segment
Start of Segment 3: 29-16-22-14-56-20-9-5-42-43-99-88
Restart lap 56 Harvick with the edge due to help from Stewart, Kenseth third, Biffle fourth…….Kenseth by Stewart for second……Kenseth beside Stewart for first
Lap 56 Harvick leads as Kenseth and Stewart run side-by-side for second…….
Lap 57 Harvick Stewart KEnseth Logano Kahne……Harvick and Kenseth side-by-side for the lead
Lap 59 Harvick leads as Kenseth and Stewart side-by-side for second at line
Lap 60 Harvick Kenseth Stewart Logano Kahne
Lap 61 Harvick Stewart single-file at the front while Kenseth side-by-side with Logano
Lap 62 Kenseth to the front of the field
Lap 63 Harvick back to the lead ahead of Stewart Logano Kenseth Biffle
Lap 64 Harvick Stewart Kenseth Biffle Truex
Lap 65 Harvick Stewart single-file while Almirola and Kenseth are side-by-side for third
10 laps to go .. Harvick Stewart Biffle Kenseth Almirola Truex Edwards Kahne DaleJr Logano Montoya Ambrose.
Lap 66 Kenseth slides back to seventh so its Harvick Stewart Biffle Almirola Edwards Logano Kenseth
Lap 69 Harvick leads Stewart Biffle Almirola Edwards Logano and Kahne single-file
6 to go Harvick leads Stewart Biffle Almirola Edwards Logano and Kahne ….Kenseth Truex Earnhardt Jr single-file
5 to go Earnhardt Jr. passes Truex
3 to go Kenseth makes a move, trying to pass Kahne……Kahne, Kenseth, Earnhardt Jr. and Truex losing the draft.
2 to go Harvick, Stewart, Biffle, Almirola, Edwards and Logano make up the lead draft…..blackflag No. 99 for rightside window
White flag Logano to the bottom, beginning to pass Almirola and Edwards…….Logano and Kenseth begin to make a move, Stewart blocks, Harvick blocks…..Harvick goes up and blocks Biffle.
Kevin Harvick wins the Sprint Unlimited. Greg Biffle. Joey Logano. Tony Stewart. Matt Kenseth. Aric Almirola. Kasey Kahne. Carl Edwards. Dale Earnhardt Jr. Martin Truex Jr.
