Kevin Harvick, driver of the No. 4 Jimmy John’s/Budweiser Chevrolet SS for Stewart-Haas Racing (SHR), finished 42nd after engine trouble forced him from the race after only 20 laps in the Windows 10 400 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Pocono Raceway on Sunday afternoon.
The defending Sprint Cup champion started on the front row in the second position and remained in second until the competition caution on lap 15. Crew chief Rodney Childers instructed Harvick to stay out under caution on lap 17 as leader Kyle Busch came to pit road. Harvick led one time for three laps, from lap 17 to lap 19. The No. 4 car restarted from the lead but experienced engine failure as Harvick was battling teammate Kurt Busch for the top spot on lap 20.
Harvick brought the No. 4 behind the pit wall for his crew to inspect; unfortunately, the engine issue forced an early end to the day.
“Yeah, coming around turn two I knew I had some issues but didn’t realize they were going to be that big,” said Harvick, who finished second at Pocono in June. “I’m just really proud of my Jimmy John’s/Budweiser team. The car was fast. You’ll have days like this.”
The three laps Harvick held the lead bring his season total to 1,362 laps led. Harvick has only led more laps than that in a single season once – in 2014 when he led 2,137 laps en route to the Sprint Cup championship. He has led a lap in 17 of the 21 Sprint Cup races contested in 2015.
Harvick’s 42nd-place finish marked his first DNF (did not finish) since April 2014 at Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth, a span of 49 races.
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