NASCAR at the Monster Mile: Fourth win of the season for Kevin Harvick

Kevin Harvick has won the AAA 400 Drive for Autism at Dover International Speedway, scoring his fourth win this season in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series. For the driver of the #4 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford, it’s the 41st Cup Series victory in a career. At the Monster Mile, he won just once before.

Harvick led for 201 of 400 laps at the Monster Mile, defeating his teammate Clint Bowyer at the finish line by 7.450 seconds. Bowyer was in the lead at the restart on lap 321 which followed after the red-flagged period because of rain. Eight laps after the restart Harvick took the lead and built a big advantage until the end of the race. Previously in the race, Harvick also recorded two stage victories.

Kevin Harvick, Dover International Speedway

Kevin Harvick #4 Ford at the finish line

Joe Gibbs Racing’s Daniel Suarez finished third, setting his best result ever on an oval track and matching his career-best third-place finish last year at Watkins Glen. Martin Truex Jr. (Furniture Row Racing) finished fourth, ahead of Kurt Busch (Stewart-Haas Racing). The fifth place for Kurt Busch means that SHR has three drivers in top 5 for the first time in team’s history. Brad Keselowski, Denny Hamlin, Ryan Blaney, Jimmie Johnson and Kyle Larson completed the top 10.

Larson won the pole on Friday but didn’t start from the front row. His car failed pre-race inspection for the third time on Sunday so the car chief David Bryant was ejected from the track while Larson was sent to the back of the field, together with Austin Dillon and Alex Bowman, whose cars also were three-time losers in the inspection process.