Race Highlights:
- Richard Childress Racing teammates finished sixth (Kevin Harvick), 21st (Jeff Burton), 24th (Paul Menard) and 27th (Brian Scott) in the Charlotte 500.
- Following the event at Charlotte Motor Speedway, Harvick is third in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver championship point standings, 29 markers behind the leader, while Menard is 17th and Burton sits 20th.
- The No. 29 Chevrolet SS team ranks third in the Sprint Cup Series owner championship point standings, with the No. 27 team 18th in the standings and the No. 31 team 21st.
- According to NASCAR’s Post-Race Loop Data Statistics, Harvick gained six positions during the final 10 percent (34 laps) of the event positioning him first in the Closers category.
- Harvick completed 55 passes while running in the top 15, ranking him second in the Quality Passes category. He was also the sixth-Fastest Driver Early in a Run, sixth-Fastest on Restarts and posted four of the Fastest Laps Run.
- Burton made 84 Green-Flag Passes during the event, ranking him ninth amongst all competitors.
- Menard completed 76 Green-Flag Passes during the 334-lap event.
- Scott posted one of the Fastest Laps run during the 500-mile affair.
- Brad Keselowski earned his first victory of the 2013 Sprint Cup Series season and was followed to the finish line by Kasey Kahne, Matt Kenseth, Jimmie Johnson and Kyle Busch.
- The next Sprint Cup Series race is the Camping World RV Sales 500 at Talladega Superspeedway on Sunday, Oct. 20. The 32nd race of the 2013 season is scheduled to be televised live on ESPN beginning at 1 p.m. Eastern Time and broadcast live on the Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Satellite Radio, channel 90.
Menard Finishes 24th at Charlotte Motor Speedway
Start – 13 Finish – 24 Laps Led – 0 Points – 17th
PAUL MENARD QUOTE:
Harvick Picks Up Top-10 Finish Under the Lights at Charlotte Motor Speedway
Kevin Harvick and the No. 29 Jimmy John’s Chevrolet team finished sixth under the lights of Charlotte Motor Speedway on Saturday night, after starting on the front row and battling an ill-handling racecar throughout the majority of the 334-lap event. The California native started the fifth race of the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup from the second position and maintained a spot within the top five during the early laps as he battled a loose-handling Chevrolet. Crew chief Gil Martin called Harvick down pit road on lap 26 for right-side tires, fuel and a chassis adjustment. Back on track, the Richard Childress Racing driver reported the car was still loose and the pit crew continued to work on the car’s handling during scheduled four-tire pit stops throughout the race. The team made one final round of adjustments during a four-tire pit stop on lap 308. Harvick was scored in the eighth position for the ensuing restart and moved up two spots to sixth before crossing the finish line. Following the 500-mile event, Harvick remains third in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver championship point standings, 29 markers out of the top spot.
Start – 2 Finish – 6 Laps Led – 0 Points – 3rd
KEVIN HARVICK QUOTE:
“I have to thank everyone on this Jimmy John’s team tonight; they really had their work cut out for them. We struggled with the handling of our car all night and it’s a miracle that we were able to pull off a sixth-place finish. I am just really proud of this team right now.”
Burton Finishes 21st at Charlotte Motor Speedway
Start – 26 Finish – 21 Laps Led – 0 Points – 20th
JEFF BURTON QUOTE:
“It was a tough night for the No. 31 Caterpillar Chevrolet team as a tight-handling condition plagued us all evening. We tried to play some strategy near the end, but it didn’t work out in our favor. We will be ready for a strong weekend at Talladega Superspeedway.”
Scott Earns a 27th-Place Finish in His NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Debut
at Charlotte Motor Speedway
Start – 19 Finish – 27 Laps Led – 0 Points – N/A
BRIAN SCOTT QUOTE:
“Man that was a long race. I hate that we didn’t start off better. We probably would have gone a lap down anyhow, but definitely could have finished inside the top 20 if we started the way we ended the race. We were too loose at the beginning and chased that for a better part of the night. I learned a lot, had fun and can’t thank everyone at Richard Childress Racing and Shore Lodge enough for their support tonight.”
RCR PR