NEWS BITES: Is a feature of The Final Lap designed for you to get some quick NASCAR News, and go about your life faster.

Delana Harvick has been selected as one of the Top Woman in Business award winners from The Business Journal. Delana is the co-owner of Kevin Harvick Incorporated and runs the day to day operation of the business. KHI has two Truck Series championships to their credit as well as many wins in that series as well as the Nationwide Series.

The Wild-Card Chase slot seemed like an interesting idea, and now we are seeing it play out. Remember that win the Jeff Gordon got back at Phoenix, the second race of the season, it’s looking pretty crucial now as Jeff sits 16th in points but would make the chase with his 1 win. Still a ton of racing to go, but that’s just an example of why winning will become more and more important.

You may remember this past weekend Martin Truex Jr. led a bunch of laps at Richmond, even ran in the top 5 for most of the evening with a solid race car. Unfortunately for the 56 team, they finished 27th…why? A couple of mistakes on pit road, a furious Truex came over the radio threatening to fire the pit crew, and 4 members found that reality yesterday. The new over the wall crew debuts this weekend at Darlington.

Kevin Harvick Inc. co-owner honored with Triad-area business award

Kernersville, N.C. (April 29, 2011) – Kevin Harvick Inc. (KHI) co-owner DeLana Harvick has been selected as a recipient of The Business Journal’s 12th-annual Women in Business award and will be honored today at a luncheon along with the other award winners in Greensboro, N.C. For over 10 years, The Business Journal’s Women in Business program has honored extraordinary businesswomen in the Triad for outstanding contributions to their profession, employers and community. Sponsored by the Bryan Series at Guilford College and NewBridge Bank, the Women in Business program recognized 15 outstanding business leaders, ranging from entrepreneurs to high-ranking executives.

“It is such an honor to be recognized by The Business Journal’s Women in Business program,” said Harvick. “Going to the race track with my dad as a child really sparked an interest in motorsports. I feel so fortunate that Kevin Harvick Inc. gives me the ability to go to work every day and do something that I love.”

Nominations were solicited from across the Triad by The Business Journal and through a range of partnerships with business organizations. A panel of judges reviewed each application, evaluated the nomination and selected honorees. Judges considered nominees’ performance in their job, their stature in their industry and their engagement in their community in selecting the honorees.

While the majority of the winners work in the Guilford and Forsyth counties, the list also spans the region, from Alamance County on the east to Davidson and Yadkin counties to the west. The honorees also reflect a great diversity of industries, ranging from financial services and health care to technology and sports.

“It is nothing short of inspiring to see what these honorees are accomplishing,” said Mark Sutter, editor of The Business Journal. “They are all extraordinarily successful in their chosen careers, and still find time to contribute to their communities in other ways – as volunteers, board members and advocates.”

Harvick grew up in racing as her father, John Paul Linville, was a driver in the NASCAR Nationwide Series until 1995. While she would have preferred to follow in her father’s footsteps behind the wheel, she found a successful career in motorsports public relations. Her strong work ethic and professionalism earned the Kernersville, N.C. native the respect of not only the media, but of the racing community as well.

In February of 2001, Harvick married her husband, NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver Kevin Harvick. Together they formed KHI which celebrates 10 years of competition in NASCAR this season. The Harvicks have two NASCAR Camping World Truck Series championships to their credit and multiple wins in both the Truck Series and Nationwide Series with a host of drivers. With the support of long-time and new sponsor partners, KHI has grown to three full-time Truck Series teams and two full-time Nationwide Series teams which will compete for both the Driver and Owner championships in the two series this year.

In 2010, the duo founded the Kevin Harvick Foundation. Established to support programs that positively enrich the lives of children throughout the United States, the Kevin Harvick Foundation works not only to improve the quality of life, but to help underprivileged youth find and realize their dreams by supporting programs such as the Kevin Harvick Athletic Scholarship Fund at California State University, Bakersfield, Kevin’s Krew, Kevin Harvick Foundation Chase Your Dreams Scholarships and a camper cabin at Victory Junction.

About Kevin Harvick Inc.
Kevin HarvickInc. (KHI), established in 2001 by Kevin and DeLana Harvick, is an over 80,000 sq. ft. facility located in Kernersville, N.C. KHI enters 2011 in its eighth full year of competition with three full-time NASCAR Camping World Truck Series teams and two full-time NASCAR Nationwide Series teams. With a roster comprised of both up-and-coming and veteran championship-caliber drivers, KHI will compete for the 2011 Truck Series and Nationwide Series championships and continue to establish itself as one of the top teams in NASCAR competition. For more information about KHI and its teams, please visit www.KevinHarvickInc.com.

1 20 18 Kyle Busch M&M’s Pretzel Toyota
2 11 11 Denny Hamlin FedEx Freight Toyota
3 4 4 Kasey Kahne Red Bull Toyota
4 27 6 David Ragan UPS Ford
5 8 99 Carl Edwards Scotts eZ Seed Ford
6 3 33 Clint Bowyer BB&T Chevrolet
7 18 43 A J Allmendinger Nautica Ford
8 30 48 Jimmie Johnson Lowe’s Chevrolet
9 31 14 Tony Stewart Mobil 1 / Office Depot Chevrolet
10 37 83 Brian Vickers Red Bull Toyota
11 9 20 Joey Logano The Home Depot Toyota
12 12 29 Kevin Harvick Budweiser Chevrolet
13 29 36 Dave Blaney Golden Corral Chevrolet
14 5 5 Mark Martin GoDaddy.com Chevrolet
15 23 16 Greg Biffle 3M Ford
16 25 31 Jeff Burton Caterpillar Chevrolet
17 2 78 Regan Smith Furniture Row Chevrolet
18 17 1 Jamie McMurray McDonald’s Chevrolet
19 24 88 Dale Earnhardt Jr. National Guard / AMP Energy Chevrolet
20 13 39 Ryan Newman U.S. Army Medicine Chevrolet
21 33 17 Matt Kenseth Crown Royal Ford
22 36 22 Kurt Busch Shell / Pennzoil Dodge
23 35 9 Marcos Ambrose DeWalt Ford
24 14 47 Bobby Labonte Kingsford / Bush’s Toyota
25 39 34 David Gilliland Gander Mountain Ford
26 41 71 Andy Lally # Interstate Moving Services Ford
27 21 56 Martin Truex Jr. NAPA Auto Parts Toyota
28 15 13 Casey Mears GEICO Toyota
29 1 42 Juan Pablo Montoya Target Chevrolet
30 28 38 Travis Kvapil(i) Long John Silver’s Ford
31 19 00 David Reutimann Aaron’s Dream Machine Toyota
32 38 32 Ken Schrader H+B Railroad / Southern Pride Trucking Ford
33 43 37 Tony Raines Front Row Motorsports Ford
34 16 30 David Stremme EchoStor Technologies Chevrolet
35 42 7 Robby Gordon Fast Five / Speed Energy Dodge
36 7 2 Brad Keselowski Miller Lite Dodge
37 10 27 Paul Menard Libman / Menards Chevrolet
38 34 09 Landon Cassill(i) Security Benefit / Thank a Teacher Today Chevrolet
39 6 24 Jeff Gordon DuPont Chevrolet
40 22 66 Michael McDowell K Love Toyota
41 32 60 Mike Skinner(i) Big Red Toyota
42 26 87 Joe Nemechek(i) AM FM Energy.com Pellet & Wood Stoves Toyota
43 40 46 J J Yeley Red Line Oil Chevrolet

Race Recap | Richmond
10 Brian Vickers
9 Tony Stewart fought a tight race car
8 Jimmie Johnson battles back from a lap down
7 AJ Allmendinger
6 Clint Bowyer
5 Carl Edwards
4 David Ragan
3 Kasey Kahne
2 Denny Hamlin first top 5 since Texas last season

Victory Lane

1 Kyle Busch picks up his 21st Career Cup Series win, 3rd spring Richmond win in a row, second win this season after leading the most laps.

Other Stories on the day

-Pole sitter Juan Montoya found the wall thanks to Ryan Newman

-Kurt Busch had a flat and hit the wall

-Juan Montoya did a little payback move and wrecked Ryan Newman

-Jimmie Johnson sent Joey Logano into the wall

-Brad Keselowski got spun by Landon Cassell

-A big wreck for the 8th caution. Involved were Jeff Gordon, Matt Kenseth, Paul Menard, Mark Martin, and others. Bowyer, into Kenseth, spun Gordon who hit the inside wall hard without a safer barrier and came on the radio and said “that one hurt”

1 42 Juan Pablo Montoya Target Chevrolet 20.989 128.639
2 78 Regan Smith Furniture Row Chevrolet 21.031 128.382
3 33 Clint Bowyer BB&T Chevrolet 21.049 128.272
4 4 Kasey Kahne Red Bull Toyota 21.069 128.150
5 5 Mark Martin GoDaddy.com Chevrolet 21.085 128.053
6 24 Jeff Gordon DuPont Chevrolet 21.092 128.011
7 2 Brad Keselowski Miller Lite Dodge 21.092 128.011
8 99 Carl Edwards Scotts eZ Seed Ford 21.093 128.005
9 20 Joey Logano The Home Depot Toyota 21.097 127.980
10 27 Paul Menard Libman / Menards Chevrolet 21.101 127.956
11 11 Denny Hamlin FedEx Freight Toyota 21.130 127.780
12 29 Kevin Harvick Budweiser Chevrolet 21.150 127.660
13 39 Ryan Newman U.S. Army Medicine Chevrolet 21.181 127.473
14 47 Bobby Labonte Kingsford / Bush’s Toyota 21.181 127.473
15 13 Casey Mears GEICO Toyota 21.184 127.455
16 30 David Stremme EchoStor Technologies Chevrolet 21.193 127.401
17 1 Jamie McMurray McDonald’s Chevrolet 21.201 127.352
18 43 A J Allmendinger Nautica Ford 21.204 127.334
19 00 David Reutimann Aaron’s Dream Machine Toyota 21.204 127.334
20 18 Kyle Busch M&M’s Pretzel Toyota 21.208 127.310

AUDIO PODCAST: RICHMOND PREVIEW SHOW WITH BRAD KESELOWSKI

21 56 Martin Truex Jr. NAPA Auto Parts Toyota 21.209 127.304
22 66 Michael McDowell K Love Toyota 21.210 127.298
23 16 Greg Biffle 3M Ford 21.238 127.131
24 88 Dale Earnhardt Jr. National Guard / AMP Energy Chevrolet 21.244 127.095
25 31 Jeff Burton Caterpillar Chevrolet 21.252 127.047
26 87 Joe Nemechek(i) AM FM Energy.com Pellet & Wood Stoves 21.256 127.023
27 6 David Ragan UPS Ford 21.257 127.017
28 38 Travis Kvapil(i) Long John Silver’s Ford 21.278 126.892
29 36 Dave Blaney Golden Corral Chevrolet 21.279 126.886
30 48 Jimmie Johnson Lowe’s Chevrolet 21.280 126.880
31 14 Tony Stewart Mobil 1 / Office Depot Chevrolet 21.308 126.713
32 60 Mike Skinner(i) Big Red Toyota 21.330 126.582
33 17 Matt Kenseth Crown Royal Ford 21.362 126.393
34 09 Landon Cassill(i) Security Benefit / Thank a Teacher Today 21.369 126.351
35 9 Marcos Ambrose DeWalt Ford 21.383 126.269
36 22 Kurt Busch Shell / Pennzoil Dodge 21.393 126.210 (WIN A KURT BUSCH DIE-CAST)
37 83 Brian Vickers Red Bull Toyota 21.397 126.186
38 32 Ken Schrader H&B Railroad / FAS Lane Racing Ford 21.405 126.139
39 34 David Gilliland Gander Mountain Ford 21.443 125.915
40 46 J J Yeley Red Line Oil Chevrolet 21.516 125.488
41 71 Andy Lally # Interstate Moving Services Ford 21.629 124.832
42 7 Robby Gordon Fast Five / Speed Energy Dodge Owner Points
43 37 Tony Raines Front Row Motorsports Ford 21.517 125.482