Posted on by Steve Luvender

Most would agree that late winter is the worst for driving. The weather is unpredictable and the roads are riddled with bumps and potholes. It turns out when NASCAR races on Atlanta’s heavily-worn asphalt amidst uncertain weather conditions, it’s not too much different. Here’s what earned our thumbs-up and thumbs-down in the race in the Peach State.

 

Thumbs Up: The Vortex Theory

It didn’t seem likely we’d watch racing from Atlanta with forecasts predicting rain storms throughout the weekend, but, by some miracle, the entirety of the Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 happened Sunday, much to the surprise of many.

Racer-gone-commentator Darrell Waltrip’s “Vortex Theory” — the idea that dozens of race cars buzzing around a circular track at full song wards off bad weather — may not be based on science, but it seemed plausible in our imaginations this weekend. Aside from a delayed start, there was no impactful rain during Sunday’s race until after the checkered flag.

Thumbs up for that magical junk-science vortex keeping the weather at bay in Atlanta Sunday.

 

Thumbs Down: A “Harvicking” Redux

After a 2014 post-race brawl, somebody coined the term “Harvicking” in reference to Harvick’s role shoving Brad Keselowski into a post-race kerfuffle. If you pushed somebody into the path of mayhem, you totally “Harvicked” them.

However, with Kevin Harvick’s dominance of Atlanta Motor Speedway this weekend, the term found new life when other competitors described Harvick’s unusual approach to getting around the track, where he’d ease off the throttle earlier than most entering the corners, hug the bottom of the track, then tiptoe back into the gas to produce a strong run off the turn. (Apparently the new definition of “Harvicking” works; Harvick dominated Sunday.)

But, much like in 2014, “Harvicking” is very much a thing again — but it’s a variation of the original meaning. We can’t let the original definition die. It’s too good.

Thumbs down for co-opting the term “Harvicking.”

 

Thumbs Up: Varying Pit Strategies

While it was a very Kevin Harvick-looking day Sunday, a few teams tried to play spoiler — most notably Denny Hamlin and Joey Logano, who both tried to make up time by pitting one fewer time under green flag conditions. The strategy wasn’t quite fruitful, especially after a late-race caution racked up the field in the closing laps when Trevor Bayne’s engine did its best fog machine impression. Still, alternating strategy and trying to steal a win by playing the race differently throughout a massive long green flag run felt like a good, old-fashioned classic NASCAR race.

I mean, it makes sense on paper. You stop fewer times, you spend less time going slow. Thumbs up for giving it a try anyway.

 

Thumbs Down: Hang in there, Jimmie Johnson

After a crash in the Daytona 500 and a spin in Atlanta Sunday, Jimmie Johnson finds himself 35th in points, behind the likes of Gray Gaulding, Mark Thompson and DJ Kennington — the latter two having started only the Daytona 500. That means Johnson is currently the lowest-ranked of all drivers who’ve started both races this season.

And while it’s silly to read into the points situation after two races, and with 24 more opportunities to improve before the Playoffs begin, it hasn’t been the ideal start of the season for the seven-time champ.

Thumbs down for Jimmie Johnson because we feel bad about his start of the season. You’ll find your horseshoe if you keep your chin up, Jimmie. F.E.A.R. not (or F.E.A.R., if you prefer).

 

Biggest Thumbs Up of the Week: Three Fingers for Dale

After Kevin Harvick crushed the field en route to Victory Lane Sunday, he celebrated the same way he did in this race 17 years prior — Harvick’s first win substituting for the late Dale Earnhardt — holding three fingers in the air to pay tribute to The Intimidator.

WATCH: Harvick pays tribute to Senior

While the emotions of the 2018 win differed from the tear-jerking 2001 race, it’s hard not to like seeing three fingers out the window to remember No. 3.

A giant thumbs-up for Harvick’s tribute of a tribute. Is it dusty in here, or is somebody chopping onions?

Posted on by Holly Cain

“Crazy Fast.”

That’s how Sunday’s third-place finisher Clint Bowyer described his Stewart-Haas Racing teammate Kevin Harvick’s day dominating the Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway and their Ford Fusion’s podium sweep.

It was a strong statement at Atlanta and a strong statement for the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series standings.

So much so that the fourth-place finisher, Toyota driver Denny Hamlin, couldn’t resist a little fun at the Fusion’s Atlanta scorecard Sunday evening.

“Well, it’s clear the Fords have an unfair advantage,” he said, laughing. “It’s clear.

“No, just kidding.”

RELATED: Harvick storms to win at Atlanta | Full race results | Series standings

The manufacturer does, however, boast an early and impressive lead in the Monster Energy Series championship standings – holding four of the top-five positions – and seven of the top-10 spots.

Team Penske’s Joey Logano has earned a six-point edge over his new teammate Ryan Blaney atop the leaderboard, two races into the season. Harvick is fourth and Bowyer is fifth. Their SHR teammates Kurt Busch and Aric Almirola are eighth and 10th, respectively, in the standings.

Wood Brothers Racing’s new addition to the Ford stable, Paul Menard, is ranked ninth. And Brad Keselowski, last year’s Atlanta winner and this weekend’s runner-up, is ranked 12th in the championship points.

It all bodes a positive outlook for the Ford teams as the series heads out for #NASCARGoesWest, which includes races at Las Vegas, Phoenix and California.

“I sure hope so,” Bowyer said. “Yeah, one, two, three for Fords.  Fords were good all weekend long.  It wasn’t just today, it was unloading off the trucks.

“It was neat to see all four Stewart‑Haas cars in the top 10 qualifying.  Everybody is working hard.  You’ve got another manufacturer that got a new body, of course, over the off‑season; that makes you a little bit nervous.

“But so far, so good.  We were as good as anybody, obviously.”

RELATED: Banner day for SHR | Bowyer eyes more consistency in 2018

On Sunday, they were better.

Harvick, who also won the NASCAR Xfinity Series race on Saturday, led 181 of 325 laps Sunday to push his career total at Atlanta to 1,152 laps, which leads the next closest active driver (Kurt Busch, 801 laps led) by more than 350 laps at the 1.54-mile speedway.

The last time a manufacturer swept the top three spots in a Monster Energy Series race was Aug. 19, 2017 at Bristol Motor Speedway’s night race when Toyotas Kyle Busch, rookie Erik Jones and Hamlin took the podium.

What makes the early season success even more impressive is that Ford teams are excelling even with a good dose of personnel change in the offseason.

The popular, 24-year-old Blaney left the Wood Brothers team to pilot a third Team Penske car this season and has finishes of seventh (at Daytona) and 12th (at Atlanta).

Menard came from Richard Childress Racing’s Chevrolet team to the Wood Brothers for 2018 and has a sixth place at Daytona and a 17th place at Atlanta – driving the car Blaney recorded his career first Monster Energy Series victory in (at Pocono) and qualified for the 2017 Monster Energy Series Playoffs.

The veteran Almirola has moved from Richard Petty Motorsports to replace Danica Patrick in the SHR No. 10 Smithfield Ford and very nearly won his maiden outing in the car, the Daytona 500, last week. But he got nudged from the race lead by eventual winner Austin Dillon, only a half lap from the sport’s most celebrated finish line.

He managed to finish 11th at Daytona and was 13th in Atlanta.

RELATED: What we learned from Atlanta

All of these drivers would remind you that it’s only two races – and a single mile-and-a-half track – into the 2018 season, so it might be a little premature to guarantee anything. But such a strong start sure doesn’t hurt the good vibe.

“I think absolutely we’re in a little bit better place,” said SHR Vice President of Competition Greg Zipadelli. “These guys have had a year to work with the car and understand it and make some little adjustments.  Understanding what you have and what you’re working with every week, but like how you said, we unloaded, and I don’t know if anybody really knew where they’d stand among the competition.

“There was some aero balance changes with just the way they’re doing the process of inspection and how far you can push things and what you can get away with and all those little details.  These guys did a great job.

“They unloaded with really good race cars, and they executed well all weekend, and that’s the biggest part is being able to execute when you have that good car, good speed.  All our teams did it.”

Posted on by Kathy Sheldon

To say ‘placing outside the top 25 in back-to-back races’ is uncharacteristic of Jimmie Johnson would be an understatement.

Coming off the heels of a 2017 season that saw him finish 10th in the standings with a career-low 11 top 10s, Johnson was determined to grind harder than he ever had in the offseason. After Sunday’s 27th-place finish, Johnson is 35th in the point standings — a territory neither he nor his fans are familiar with seeing. However, Johnson isn’t known for getting down when the going gets tough. Instead, he is known for doing the exact opposite.

MORE: Desire still burns for Johnson | No. 48 team wants to ‘buckle down’

And with one simple tweet, fans of ‘Seven-Time’ could feel calmed thanks to their leader providing reassurance that the No. 48 team will rise.

Former Hendrick Motorsports teammate, and close confidant, Dale Earnhardt Jr. weighed in on Johnson’s early season struggles. He doesn’t seem too concerned two races into the season, and having Dale Jr. in your corner can only mean good things.

It’s impressive that Johnson has fire in his eyes and a hunger to win another championship, but we’re here for it. Having super inspirational tweets come across our timeline doesn’t hurt either.

Posted on by Staff Report

NASCAR Executive Vice President and Chief Racing Development Officer Steve O’Donnell addressed Sunday’s handful of common pit gun malfunctions at Atlanta Motor Speedway, saying it’s something he wants to “get cleaned up” before teams take the track at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

“It’s something we’re going to review,” O’Donnell said during his Monday morning appearance on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio. “Obviously we never want to see any failures with any part or piece. ”

NASCAR and the race teams worked together to implement the common pit gun initiative for the 2018 season in an effort to reduce the performance premium on equipment and place the emphasis on the pit crews’ athletic performance. Some teams were forced to pit twice, or had an extra long stop, due to a malfunction.

“We’re going to have those conversations and get it right,” O’Donnell said. “This was an initiative we worked closely with teams on, and we never want to see a part or piece malfunction. We want it to be in the hands of the drivers and the race teams. That’s something we obviously take very seriously. We’ll have that dialogue this weekend and head to Vegas and hopefully get that cleaned up.”

Winning crew chief Rodney Childers, whose team had to make two pit stops following the competition caution at Lap 30, chimed in during his post-race victory press conference, emphasizing the continued need for collaboration.

“I have to be honest, the people that have took that on really have done an outstanding job,” Childers said. “Like, there’s no way I could sit up here and complain about anything they’ve done because I can’t imagine taking that on over the winter and what they did over a two‑month span or a three‑month span of trying to get all this stuff ready for the teams, number one.

“But my opinion is we’re going to go through ups and downs, and we need to go through them together and learn together.”

Posted on by Staff Report

Mobil 1 is again throwing its support behind Stewart-Haas Racing. Part of that includes the return of “Tiny” Kevin Harvick.

Harvick, who won Sunday at Atlanta Motor Speedway, will serve as the face of Mobil 1 Annual Protection motor oil marketing campaign once again. The company will appear on the hood for a total of 10 races in 2018, with every one of SHR’s four cars represented (Six times for Harvick’s No. 4, twice for Clint Bowyer’s No. 14 and once each for Kurt Busch’s No. 41 and Aric Almirola’s No. 10).

Watch the above video for a behind-the-scenes look at the latest “Tiny Driver” spot.

“The commercials and everything they did on the marketing side at Mobil 1 last year was obviously a huge hit,” Harvick said. “My son (Keelan) still asks how they made me 3 inches tall standing on top of that engine.”

We wonder, too, Keelan.

The full national marketing campaign commercials will be released later this season, but for now, here’s the newest:

RELATED: Harvick emotional after win

Posted on by Reid Spencer

RELATED: Harvick hoists Atlanta trophy | Complete race results

HAMPTON, Ga. — When race leader — and eventual winner — Kevin Harvick came to pit road on Lap 212 of Sunday’s Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway, Denny Hamlin and Joey Logano stayed on the track.

Brad Keselowski inherited the lead two laps later, and still Hamlin and Logano stayed out. Not until Lap 226 did the two drivers come to pit road, after running laps at a far slower speed than those with fresh tires.

Staying on the track was a deliberate strategy play, designed to run the final 155-lap stage of the race on two pit stops, rather than the customary three. Indeed, Hamlin picked up the lead after Harvick pitted for the third time during the stage on Lap 288, but his stint at that point was short-lived. 

Rocketing around the track on fresh tires, Harvick passed Hamlin for the lead on Lap 291 and regained control of the race.

Crew chief Mike Wheeler prepped Hamlin for the strategy before the start of the third stage. 

“As soon as I left pit road, he said I was going to have to go 50 laps the first time, so I immediately knew he was going to break it up into two stops instead of three,” Hamlin said. “I wasn’t surprised at all about it. Worried about it, a little bit in the second stint, because I wasn’t running really fast lap times on new tires – I think 32 (seconds) flat or something like that. 

“Other guys were able to run some 70s (31.70) and 80s (31.80), and it seemed like we got to the lap time of like 33 or whatever pretty quick, and I was just worried that the strategy … you need the lap times to be pretty linear for that strategy to work, and we kind of leveled off a little bit, and some of the field leveled off.  

“I was worried a little bit, but I kept seeing it cycle around to where I was in a good position.” 

Hamlin rolled home in fourth place and left Atlanta third in the series standings, 12 points behind Logano, who assumed the lead with a sixth-place run.

Posted on by Reid Spencer

RELATED: Stewart-Haas savors Atlanta strides | Complete race results

HAMPTON, Ga. — Clint Bowyer didn’t win Sunday’s Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500, but he got the sort of run he needed in the second Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race of the season.

On a day when all the Stewart-Haas Racing Fords were fast, Bowyer finished third overall behind SHR teammate Kevin Harvick, who dominated the action, and fellow Ford driver Brad Keselowski. 

The third-place result was a welcome tonic for Bowyer, who suffered through an up-and-down campaign last year in his first season with SHR.

“I said it all offseason,” Bowyer said after the race. “What we have to do is get more consistent, know what I mean? Over the course of my career, kind of what’s kept me in the game is consistency, and last year we were spraying it all over the place. 

“We’d have a good run and back it up with a bad one or two bad ones and then a good one. We were all over the place.”

Bowyer managed a 15th-place run in the season-opening Daytona 500 despite an engine issue. 

“We were at the big dance last weekend and dropped a cylinder, and everybody was dejected and bummed out, and we come here and unload four fast (Stewart-Haas) cars and did a great job as a company. 

“That’s what it takes. You’ve got to be able to unload good cars and then work together to fine-tune them to make them good for the race and enjoy that strength in numbers, and that’s certainly what we had going on this weekend.”

Bowyer climbed to fifth in the series standings, 15 points behind leader Joey Logano.

Posted on by Reid Spencer

RELATED: Complete race results | Detailed breakdown
SHOP: Kevin Harvick gear

HAMPTON, Ga. – On Sunday night, after 17 barren years, Kevin Harvick finally completed the second chapter of his love affair with Atlanta Motor Speedway.

In the Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500, the second Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race of the season, Harvick delivered a proper thrashing to the rest of the field, leading 181-of-325 laps and beating runner-up Brad Keselowski to the finish line by 2.690 seconds.

Early in 2001, after Dale Earnhardt Sr. died in a last-lap crash in the Daytona 500, Harvick was thrust prematurely into a replacement role that would have cowed most rookies. Three weeks later, he notched his first Cup victory in a photo finish (.006 seconds) over Jeff Gordon.

Harvick’s career victory total reached 38 on Sunday with his relentless performance at the 1.54-mile speedway, ending a frustrating drought that featured blinding speed foiled by ill fortune and inopportune mistakes. 

Afterwards, in his victory celebration, Harvick gave a “3” salute to Earnhardt, a tribute he had waited years to perform.

“I’m just so proud of everybody on our team,” Harvick said. “That was the first win in my career (in 2001), and to be able to do that and pay tribute to Dale was pretty cool. I’ve been waiting a long time to do that…

“I love racing here, and it’s good to be back in Victory Lane – finally. It took a while.”

RELATED: Harvick passes Dale Sr. on all-time combined wins

Harvick had led the most laps in the last four Monster Energy events at Atlanta, but victory continued to elude him. Nor was the road to Sunday’s win free of obstacles.

On Harvick’s second pit stop, after his No. 4 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford had dominated the race’s first stage, the air hose blew off the coupler of the pit gun wielded by the front tire changer Daniel Smith, and Harvick had to return to pit road to make sure his lug nuts were tight. 

No problem as Harvick restarted 16th on Lap 94 to begin Stage 2. On Lap 126, he passed teammate Kurt Busch for the lead. 

Denny Hamlin and Joey Logano tried divergent strategies, opting for a two-pit-stop strategy, instead of the typical three, over the last stage of the race. After Harvick came off pit road on Lap 289, Hamlin held a 1.819-second second advantage.

Harvick brushed the ploy aside as easily as swatting a fly. On Lap 291 he passed Hamlin for the lead and took off. Ultimately, Hamlin finished fourth and Logano sixth.

Harvick was out front by more than four seconds when Trevor Bayne’s engine blew in Turn 2 on Lap 297, trailing a thick cloud of smoke that covered the corner and left Daytona 500 runner-up Bubba Wallace driving blind into the back of Ricky Stenhouse Jr.’s Ford.

RELATED: No. 4 pays tribute to No. 3 | Relive Harvick’s 2001 win at Atlanta

On the subsequent restart on Lap 305, Harvick simply drove away, stretching his lead to nearly four seconds over the final 21 laps before easing up as he approached the finish line.

“It was great getting into this race car and knowing that everybody knew that they had to beat our car,” Harvick said. “I’m just really, really happy with everything that we’ve done at Stewart-Haas Racing over the last five years, and this is a great start to getting ourselves in the Playoffs and doing everything that we need to do. 

“We overcame a lot of things today. We got a late-race restart that we drove off and won the race with, so there are so many demons that seem to haunt us here for a long time, but the coolest part was being able to try to replicate that first win celebration.” 

SHR teammate Clint Bowyer finished third, putting Fords in all three podium positions. Martin Truex Jr. charged forward from a 35th-place starting position to run fifth. Logano, pole winner Kyle Busch, Kurt Busch, Kyle Larson and Chase Elliott completed the top 10.

Logano took over the series lead by six points over Ryan Blaney, who finished 12th. Daytona 500 winner Austin Dillon was 14th, the first driver one lap down.

Note: A post-race check revealed one lug nut unsecured on Harvick’s winning No. 4 Ford. The penalty guidelines in the NASCAR Rule Book call for a fine only. … The Stewart-Haas Racing No. 4, the Team Penske No. 2 Ford and the Joe Gibbs Racing No. 18 Toyota will go to the NASCAR Research & Development Center for further inspection this week.

Posted on by Staff Report

The Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series, NASCAR Xfinity Series and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series all head west to Las Vegas Motor Speedway for a tripleheader weekend. Check out the tentative full schedule below, subject to change.

Note: All times are ET

Sunday, March 4

Run of show
3:30:00 p.m.: Presentation of colors by Nellis Air Force Base Honor Guard
3:30:20 p.m.: Invocation by Billy Mauldin, MRO
3:30:45 p.m.: Intro to national anthem
3:31:00 p.m.: National anthem by 38 Special (Large American flag unfurled by DEP Ceremony Cadets, Nellis AFB)
3:32:30 p.m.: Fly-by performed by four F-16s from the 57th OG Nellis AFB
3:37:30 p.m.: “Drivers, Start your engines” by Dylan McDermott, Golden Globe winner and Emmy Award nominee, star of comedy “LA to Vegas”
3:46 p.m.: Green flag

3:30 p.m.: Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Pennzoil 400 presented by Jiffy Lube (267 laps, 400.5 miles), FOX (Canada: TSN5) (Results)

Press Pass (Watch live)
— 2:15 p.m.: Charlotte Motor Speedway announcement
— 6:30 p.m.: Post-Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race

 

Thursday, March 1
5:05-5:55 p.m.: NASCAR Camping World Truck Series first practice (Results)
7:05-7:55 p.m.: NASCAR Camping World Truck Series final practice (Results)

Press Pass (Watch live)
— 3:30 p.m.: Noah Gragson, Brett Moffitt and Ben Rhodes

Friday, March 2
2-2:55 p.m.: Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series first practice, FS1 (Canada: TSN2) (Results)
3:05-3:55 p.m.: NASCAR Xfinity Series first practice, FS1 (Results)
5:05-5:50 p.m.: NASCAR Xfinity Series final practice, FS1 (Results)
6 p.m.: NASCAR Camping World Truck Series qualifying, FS1 (Results)
7:15 p.m.: Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series qualifying, FS1 (Results)
9 p.m.: NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Stratosphere 200 (134 laps, 201 miles), FS1 (Results)

Press Pass (Watch live)
— 12:45 p.m.: Kyle Larson
— 1 p.m.: Kurt Busch
— 1:15 p.m.: Kevin Harvick
— 1:30 p.m.: Kyle Busch
— 1:45 p.m.: Christopher Bell, Spencer Gallagher and Daniel Hemric
— 3:30 p.m.: Clint Bowyer
— 8:15 p.m.: Post-Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series qualifying
— 10:45 p.m.: Post-Camping World Truck Series race

Saturday, March 3
12-12:55 p.m.: Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series second practice, FS1 (Results)
1:10 p.m.: NASCAR Xfinity Series qualifying, FS1 (Results)
2:30-3:20 p.m.: Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series final practice, FS1 (Results)
4 p.m.: NASCAR Xfinity Series Boyd Gaming 300 (200 laps, 300 miles), FS1 (Canada: TSN5) (Results)

Press Pass (Watch live)
— 6:30 p.m.: Post-Xfinity Series race

 

Posted on by

RELATED: Harvick ends 17-year wait with Atlanta win | Race results

HAMPTON, Ga. – Clint Bowyer stood on pit road following his third-place finish as the fireworks popped and exploded in front of him and his teammate Kevin Harvick celebrated his win following Sunday’s Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500.

Minutes after climbing out of his No. 14 Ford, the sprinkles of rain began to trickle from the sky. After squeezing in the race following a rain delay, the timing was impeccable.

“Mother Nature’s a race fan, I guess,” Bowyer said with a grin.

Perhaps a fan of Stewart-Haas Racing, too – all four SHR cars placed in the top 13 on Sunday, with Kurt Busch finishing eighth and newcomer Aric Almirola coming up 13th.

Bowyer, who received congrats from Almirola on pit road, said it was a “breath of fresh air.”

“We had a really good car all weekend long and that’s how you have to do it … you have to unload off the truck competitive and (that) attests to everybody’s hard work in the offseason,” he said. “All four cars – ALL four cars – unloaded good and were good all weekend long.

“I couldn’t go early quite like my teammate Kevin and some of those other guys but long runs were my game for the day. Just proud of these guys. … Everybody working together, you know what I mean? It’s fun to be a part of that.”

The 2018 season marks the sophomore year of Stewart-Haas’ switch to Ford from Chevrolet. Crew chiefs and drivers spoke of the transition and quick turnaround last year — and Sunday’s race showed that the learning curve isn’t as steep as it was at this time last season.

“I’m just proud of everybody at Stewart-Haas,” SHR Vice President of Competition Greg Zipadelli said. “In the last year or so from the switchover to this year with the (Optical Scanning Station) and learning procedures and putting things in place, crew chiefs working together, everybody in our shop working to build good race cars …

“It’s a feel-good at this moment. We had great cars at Daytona; these guys did a really good job (and) circumstances took them out. We came here and unloaded and had speed.”

Heading into the second race of the season – and the first at a mile-and-a-half track – No. 4 crew chief Rodney Childers didn’t know how his team or the rest of the SHR fleet would fare with all new elements.

With a win likely writing the No. 4 team’s ticket into the Playoffs, what Sunday’s trip to Victory Lane means is more “time to work on our stuff and get it better.”

“I think as a race team, the 4 team’s mentality has always been to try to win a race in the first five races,” he said. “… I had no idea if we were going to run good or bad when we showed up. You don’t know where everybody else is with their stuff. You don’t know if you got more downforce, less downforce, more grip or less grip — you don’t know any of that stuff. You’ve just got to get through a few races. But even now, like Zippy said, this isn’t a good indication of what we have as a company. We need to get through a few weeks and keep working hard and reevaluate where we’re at.”

Zipadelli also spoke of the room to grow for each of the four teams as the season progresses.

“It’s a moving target,” he said. “We’re going to go to Vegas with some momentum and some decent race tracks for us coming up … as a group, I think it gives us a little confidence working together … but by no means is that a victory for the year.”

But on Sunday, it was a victory for the whole Stewart-Haas Racing organization — and for the “Freaky Fast” No. 4 team. Even his own teammate couldn’t catch Harvick.

“Pretty sure nobody did,” Bowyer said, laughing when asked if anyone had anything for the No. 4 team. “He was just crazy fast.”