A Rookie Rides the Monster
Harvick's disappointing season, RCR in turmoil, qualifying fallacies, and the MBNA Platinum 400 from Dover International Raceway.
Harvick's Disappointing Season....... Is this the beginning of the end?
Last season, after the running of the Coca-Cola 600, Harvick had raced in 11 out of 12 races and had one win, two top five, and four top ten finishes. This season, after the running of the Coca-Cola 600, he has run 11 out of 12 races and has just one top five/ten finish, coming in third in the Carolina Dodge Dealers 400 at Darlington.
Last season, Harvick missed the first race of the season because he wasn't driving in Winston Cup at the time. We all know he was hired by Richard Childress to replace Dale Earnhardt in the Goodwrench Chevrolet Monte Carlo beginning with the Rockingham race. This season, Harvick was sidelined by NASCAR for his arrogance stemming from an altercation in the Advance Auto Parts 250 Craftsman Truck Series race at Martinsville, Virginia. NASCAR parked Harvick during the truck race and forbid him to run the Virginia 500 Winston Cup race.
Last season at this time he was 12th in driver's point's standings. His worst position in the standings was 28th when he finished his first race at Rockingham. His best was 10th after the Las Vegas race in the first 12 races of the season. This season, his worst is 35th after the Daytona 500 and his best in the first 12 races is 20th after the Food City 500 at Bristol, Tennessee. His position after this season's Coca-Cola 600 is 33rd, last season it was 11th.
There's lots of speculation as to the core of the problems surrounding the No. 29 team this season. Some seem the think that when NASCAR parked him, it broke the will of both the driver and the team. In defense of that idea, the team wasn't doing all that great before they were shut down for the Martinsville race. Still, that slap in the face for the team had to have an effect on their future performances. Others tend to speculate that Harvick is fed up with NASCAR and is just biding his time, riding out his contract this season in hopes of maybe splitting with Richard Childress Racing and NASCAR to get a fresh start with the upcoming TRAC racing series.
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