Kevin Harvick looking for first Sonoma win

Harvick was runner-up at Sonoma in 2007

Kevin Harvick
No. 29 Rheem Chevrolet SS
Event Preview Fact Sheet 

This Week’s Rheem Chevrolet SS at Sonoma Raceway … Kevin Harvick will pilot chassis No. 395 from the Richard Childress Racing NASCAR Sprint Cup Series stable in the Save Mart 350. Most recently, the California native raced this Chevrolet to a 15th-place result at Watkins Glen International in August 2012.

Road Course Ready … Harvick has made 12 starts at the 10-turn road course dating back to the 2001 season. During that time, the RCR veteran has collected three top-five and four top-10 finishes. He holds a 16.7 average starting position coupled with a 16.1 average finishing position, has completed 99.9 percent (1,328 of 1,329) of the laps contested and is credited with 10 laps led.

Rheem on the Hood … The red Rheem logo will adorn the hood of the No. 29 RCR machine this weekend at Sonoma Raceway for their fifth of seven appearances during the 2013 Sprint Cup Series season. Rheem will also be featured on Harvick’s Chevrolet at Michigan International Speedway in August and Talladega Superspeedway in October.

Gotta Have a Rheem … Rheem Manufacturing Company (www.rheem.com) is privately held with headquarters in Atlanta and U.S. operations in Alabama, Arkansas, California, Indiana, North Carolina and Texas. In its 88th year of operation, the company manufactures a full-line of eco-friendly, technologically advanced residential and commercial heating and cooling systems; tank, tankless, solar and hybrid heat pump water heaters; whole-home standby generators, controls, swimming pool and spa heaters; indoor air-purification products; and commercial boilers throughout North America and world markets. The company’s premium brands, including Rheem, Raypak, Ruud and Richmond have been recognized with countless industry and consumer awards for reliability, innovative design and high quality. Rheem is the official heating, cooling and water heating supplier to Richard Childress Racing, and is a primary sponsor of RCR’s No. 29 Chevrolet in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series and RCR’s No. 33 Chevrolet in the NASCAR Nationwide Series.
A Lap for a Cause … Fans attending the Sprint Cup Series race at Sonoma Raceway this weekend have the opportunity to take the ride of a lifetime with Harvick prior to the start of Sundayafternoon’s event. By attending the Speedway Children’s Charities – Sonoma Chapter – Live Auctionon race day at 10 a.m. Pacific Time in the Wine Country Winner’s Circle, one lucky Harvick fan can bid on the chance to join the RCR driver during the pre-race parade lap. A portion of the proceeds will benefit the Kevin Harvick Foundation.

Batter Up … Following Sunday’s 110-lap event at Sonoma Raceway, Harvick will make his way to Yankee Stadium to participate in the third annual “Bombers Boomer Broadway Softball Classic” on Monday, June 24.The doubleheader will include two seven-inning games, with current Broadway stars facing off in the first game and Boomer’s celebrities playing members of the Wounded Warrior Amputee Softball Team and New York Yankees alumni in the second game. The California native will participate in the second game.

Race Rewind … Harvick and the No. 29 Rheem Chevrolet team had a 16th-place finish in the 2012 Save Mart 350 at Sonoma after running out of fuel during a mid-race run.

KEVIN HARVICK QUOTES:

What are your thoughts on racing at Sonoma Raceway?
“Road-course racing is fun. We have taken the time to make sure the car is right for a track like this one. I feel like Sonoma Raceway is a place that we’ve been to enough times where we can hopefully take some of the notes from those prior races and be alright. I enjoy that race and really look forward to heading out there.”

It’s being said that Sonoma Raceway is becoming a payback track and drivers are becoming more aggressive in their driving style during this race. What are your thoughts on that observation?
“The racing is more aggressive. I think the paybacks you see at Sonoma Raceway probably come from incidents during this race, not from any other track. Lately, it seems like the cars come home more beat up from this race than anywhere else. This is definitely a narrow track with a lot of slow turns, so you have to be very aggressive to make passes on this track.”

- Richard Childress Racing