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One week after dominating a Nationwide race only to lose in Atlanta; Kevin Harvick bounced back with a win in Richmond.
With 17 laps remaining Harvick pulled away on a restart and held off last week's winner, Rick Stenhouse Jr., by almost two full seconds. Last week Harvick led a race-high 157 laps. At the three-quarter mile Richmond International Raceway he led a race-high 141-laps of the 250 lap event.
With his 38th career Nationwide Series victory (and fifth at Richmond) he snapped a 30-race winless drought. This win ties him with Carl Edwards for third place on the all-time career win list.
It's been a long time coming," Harvick said. "I know the first 37 seemed a whole lot easier than No. 38."
"I know we haven't won the races that we needed to, but, man, we've led a ton of laps and been in contention to win just about every race I've been in this car this year," he added.
"Sometimes you go through slumps like that, and when you break 'em, it just makes it that much sweeter."
Stenhouse who now is second in the points said "Kevin and I had a great battle there for a while. I gave it all I had. If we would have won two in a row, that would have been cool, but second's a great night."
Kurt Busch, who finished third in a car owned by his younger brother Kyle, had led just before that final caution but tagged a lapped car causing that final caution.
"When I had Harvick behind us while we were leading if I could hit it perfect we were going to hold him off," said Busch"“If I was off just a fraction he was right there. When I drove down into (turn) three, the lapped car chose inside and I chose inside and I was like, 'This isn't going to be good.'
"Ninety-nine percent of the guys go high, he went low and I just couldn't stay off him. I had to push hard to try to keep Harvick behind me and I made a mistake and got us behind there."
Point's leader Elliott Sadler had a tough race after tangling with Stenhouse on lap 183 and falling one lap down. He finished 12th and had his points lead shrink to just one over Stenhouse. Sam Hornish Jr. fell to fourth in the title battle after a cut tire caused him to crash on lap 156.
After repairs he rejoined the race but finished 30th some 50 points behind Sadler. Austin Dillon who finished sixth is now third 30 points in arrears.
With 17 laps remaining Harvick pulled away on a restart and held off last week's winner, Rick Stenhouse Jr., by almost two full seconds. Last week Harvick led a race-high 157 laps. At the three-quarter mile Richmond International Raceway he led a race-high 141-laps of the 250 lap event.
With his 38th career Nationwide Series victory (and fifth at Richmond) he snapped a 30-race winless drought. This win ties him with Carl Edwards for third place on the all-time career win list.
It's been a long time coming," Harvick said. "I know the first 37 seemed a whole lot easier than No. 38."
"I know we haven't won the races that we needed to, but, man, we've led a ton of laps and been in contention to win just about every race I've been in this car this year," he added.
"Sometimes you go through slumps like that, and when you break 'em, it just makes it that much sweeter."
Stenhouse who now is second in the points said "Kevin and I had a great battle there for a while. I gave it all I had. If we would have won two in a row, that would have been cool, but second's a great night."
Kurt Busch, who finished third in a car owned by his younger brother Kyle, had led just before that final caution but tagged a lapped car causing that final caution.
"When I had Harvick behind us while we were leading if I could hit it perfect we were going to hold him off," said Busch"“If I was off just a fraction he was right there. When I drove down into (turn) three, the lapped car chose inside and I chose inside and I was like, 'This isn't going to be good.'
"Ninety-nine percent of the guys go high, he went low and I just couldn't stay off him. I had to push hard to try to keep Harvick behind me and I made a mistake and got us behind there."
Point's leader Elliott Sadler had a tough race after tangling with Stenhouse on lap 183 and falling one lap down. He finished 12th and had his points lead shrink to just one over Stenhouse. Sam Hornish Jr. fell to fourth in the title battle after a cut tire caused him to crash on lap 156.
After repairs he rejoined the race but finished 30th some 50 points behind Sadler. Austin Dillon who finished sixth is now third 30 points in arrears.