Harvick wins Speedweeks opener at Daytona

  • Assocaited Press
  • Saturday, February 16, 2013 8:14pm
  • SportsSports

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — Kevin Harvick won the first race of Speedweeks, dominating the final two segments of the exhibition Sprint Unlimited in the debut of NASCAR’s new Gen-6 car.

“I’m glad we got Speedweeks started off the right way,” said Harvick, who won Saturday night’s non-points race at Daytona International Speedway for the third time in five years.

But with only 19 cars in the field at the start of the race — and that was whittled down to 12 after an early accident — there wasn’t a great feel for what the Feb. 24 season-opening Daytona 500 will look like with a full 43-car field.

“We’ll have to wait a week and see what the weather is like,” Harvick said. “There’s still a lot to learn with a full pack of cars.”

There wasn’t a chance for that in the 75-lap exhibition race, which was split into three segments. Fans got to vote on the format and decided on 30 laps, 25 laps then a 20-lap sprint to the finish.

But several big names were knocked out a mere 15 laps into the race. Tony Stewart was running second when he cut across the front of Marcos Ambrose, making slight contact that turned Stewart sideways and required a save to keep from crashing. Traffic stacked up behind him, triggering a chain-reaction, nine-car crash that wiped out seven cars.

Taken out just 15 laps into the first segment were defending race winner Kyle Busch and Denny Hamlin from Joe Gibbs Racing, Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson from Hendrick Motorsports, Mark Martin and Kurt Busch.

“I didn’t see much. I was just cruising along and I saw sparks in front of me — I knew that wasn’t good,” Johnson said.

It was a costly crash for Kurt Busch, who also wrecked in practice Friday and has two damaged race cars just two days into Speedweeks. His Furniture Row Racing team was getting assistance from Richard Childress Racing on car repairs to ensure Busch has enough in the fleet to get to the Daytona 500.

Stewart, who took responsibility for triggering the crash, went on to “win” the first segment.

Fans then voted for the drivers to make a four-tire change during a pit stop between the first and second segment, and it was largely Harvick’s race from there. He dominated the final two segments, and held off challenges from Stewart and Greg Biffle on the final lap to win in his Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet.

It’s a strong opener to what’s going to be Harvick’s final year with RCR. He’s already signed on to drive for Stewart-Haas Racing in 2014.

“It’s about winning races,” Harvick said. “The politics and everything are one thing, but when we get to the race track it’s about sitting in this race car making it as fast as it will go. And those (RCR) guys, they don’t care about anything but winning and wanting to do good, so we owe it to them and everybody at (sponsor) Budweiser.”

Budweiser was the longtime sponsor of the race, which was called the Budweiser Shootout until series sponsor Sprint took over the rights this year.

Harvick broke his engine trying to do a celebratory burnout and his car had to be pushed to Victory Lane.

Biffle finished second and Joey Logano was third in his Penske Racing debut. Stewart was fourth and Matt Kenseth fifth in his Joe Gibbs Racing debut.

Talk to us

> Give us your news tips.

> Send us a letter to the editor.

> More Herald contact information.

More in Sports

Arlington’s Leyton Martin puts three fingers in the air after making a three point shot during the game against Glacier Peak on Friday, Jan. 17, 2025 in Arlington, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Prep basketball roundup for Saturday, Feb. 15

Leyton Martin’s triple-double leads Arlington to district win

Monroe's Halle Keller drives past Meadowdale's Payton Fleishman during a Feb. 14, 2025 3A District 1 playoff game at Meadowdale High School. (Qasim Ali / The Herald)
Last-second layup powers Monroe past Mavs

The Bearcats staged a 50-49 road upset in a district playoff clash.

Shorecrest’s Cassie Chesnut leaps in the air to block a shot by Shorewood’s Bridget Cox during the 3A district playoff game on Friday, Feb. 14, 2025 in Shoreline, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Shorecrest girls win rubber match against Shorewood

Cassie Chesnut’s 28 points, 18 rebounds pushes the Scots to District 1 3A semifinals with 53-38 win.

Freshman leads Jackson to 4A district swim title

Syunta Lee sets two meet records as Timberwolves edge Lake Stevens.

Shorecrest wins 3A district swim title

Snohomish’s Torsten Hokanson sets two meet records and leads two winning relays.

Snohomish’s Kendall Hammer yells in celebration with teammate Snohomish’s Sienna Capelli after she makes a shot and is fouled during the game on Thursday, Jan. 9, 2025 in Snohomish, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Prep basketball roundup for Friday, Feb. 14

Snohomish, Stanwood girls cruise into district semis.

Vote for The Herald’s Prep Athlete of the Week for Feb. 2-8

The Athlete of the Week nominees for Feb. 2-8. Voting closes at… Continue reading

Mountlake Terrace’s Svayjeet Singh leaps in the air after the basketball during the 3A district loser-out playoff game against Snohomish on Thursday, Feb. 13, 2025 in Mountlake Terrace, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Snohomish upsets Mountlake Terrace for first playoff win in 11 years

Bryson Wheat scored 25 in Panthers’ 49-43 win to advance to the District 1 Boys 3A quarterfinals

Julio Rodríguez (left) and manager Dan Wilson (right) of the Seattle Mariners react after the game against the Oakland Athletics at T-Mobile Park on Sept. 27, 2024, in Seattle, Washington. (Steph Chambers / Getty Images / Tribune News Services)
Dan Wilson begins first spring training as M’s manager

An anxious eagerness to get through the first of… Continue reading

Marysville Getchell junior Bubba Palocol reverses directions while dribbling against Arlington during a playoff matchup at Arlington High School on Saturday, Feb. 24, 2024, in Arlington, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
Prep basketball roundup for Thursday, Feb. 13

Marysville Getchell, Lakewood boys each earn district wins

Kenneth Walker III runs with against the New York Jets at MetLife Stadium on Dec. 1, 2024. (Photo courtesy of the Seattle Seahawks)
Seahawks hire run game coach

Justin Outten added to staff as Mike Macdonald continues attempts to bolster rushing attack.

Balanced scoring attack leads Gonzaga

Zags take over second place in WCC with 88-77 win over USF.

Support local journalism

If you value local news, make a gift now to support the trusted journalism you get in The Daily Herald. Donations processed in this system are not tax deductible.