Kevin Harvick

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during the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series SpongeBob SquarePants 400 at Kansas Speedway on May 9, 2015 in Kansas City, Kansas.
during the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series SpongeBob SquarePants 400 at Kansas Speedway on May 9, 2015 in Kansas City, Kansas.

The comforting term “It’s still early” doesn’t really apply anymore – not when discussing opportunities to lock into the 2015 Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup.

Thirteen down, 13 to go. The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series regular season officially reached its midpoint as the checkered flag dropped at Dover to give Jimmie Johnson his series-leading fourth victory of the season.

It was a storyline-rich first half…

· Nine different drivers have won a race, all but locking up a spot in the Chase.

· Kevin Harvick opened the season with five consecutive finishes of second or better. Dating to the end of the 2014 season, Harvick cobbled together a string of eight consecutive top-two finishes, the longest streak since 1975.

· Johnson is closing in on a hallowed NASCAR number – 76. That’s Dale Earnhardt’s career win total, which currently is good for seventh on the all-time list. Johnson’s four wins thus far puts his career total at 74.

· After a rough 2014, Martin Truex Jr. is in the midst of a career-year. Though still searching for his first victory, Truex is second in the points and is on pace to obliterate his career-high of 19 top-10 finishes. He currently has 12.

· Through 13 races, there have been a total of 55,701 green flag passes, the second-highest total through 13 races since the inception of loop data in 2005.

Each manufacturer – Chevrolet, Toyota and Ford – has at least two victories.

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Phoenix_NSCS_Harvick2_031315NASCAR Penalty Report / Dover International Speedway
DAYTONA BEACH, Florida
June 3, 2015

NASCAR Sprint Cup Series
· Trevor Bayne, driver of the No. 6 car, has received a penalty for his actions during the May 31 race (Sections 12.1, 12.8 b and 10.4.2.1 in the 2015 NASCAR rule book). After the No. 6 car was involved in an on-track incident, the driver walked across the racing surface before he was attended to by the track safety crew. Bayne has been fined $20,000 and placed on NASCAR probation through Dec. 31.

· The No. 4 team has been assessed a P1 level penalty for receiving written warnings in two consecutive events (Section 12.5.3.1b,c NASCAR rule book). At Charlotte, the No. 4 team received a warning for having to go through pre-race inspection more than three times while during opening day inspection at Dover the car’s exhaust pipe was found to not be in conformance to rule book specifications. The team will receive the last choice in the pit selection process for this weekend’s event at Pocono Raceway.

NASCAR XFINITY Series
· The No. 97 team has been penalized for an infraction occurring during practice on May 29. It is a P3 level penalty (Sections 12.1 and 20.17.2.1b NASCAR rule book). The car had an improperly attached weight that fell out of the car. Crew chief John Monsam has been fined $15,000, suspended from the next championship points race, and placed on NASCAR probation through Dec. 31. Car chief David Jones has been suspended from the next championship points race and placed on NASCAR probation through Dec. 31. Driver Peyton Sellers and owner Victor Obaika lose 15 series championship driver and owner points, respectively.

· The No. 33 car was found to be too low in the rear during post-race inspection on May 30. This is a P2 level penalty (Sections 12.1 and 20.17.3.2.2b NASCAR rule book). Crew chief Nick Harrison has been fined $7,500 and placed on NASCAR probation through Dec. 31. Car owner Richard Childress loses 10 series championship owner points.

NASCAR Camping World Truck Series
· Jennifer Jo Cobb, driver of the No. 10 truck, has received a penalty for her actions during the May 29 race (Sections 12-1, 12.8 b and 10.4.2.1 NASCAR rule book). After the No. 10 truck was involved in an on-track incident, the driver walked across the racing surface before she was attended to by the track safety crew. Cobb has been fined $5,000 and placed on NASCAR probation through Dec. 31.

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Harvick Readies For A Win After Another Second-Place Finish
Another week, another top-two finish for Kevin Harvick.

The No. 4 Chevrolet driver has nine top-two finishes on the season – tied with NASCAR Hall of Famers Bobby Allison (1972) and Cale Yarborough (1977) for the most ever through the first 13 races of a season. Continue reading “Another week, another top-two finish for Kevin Harvick”