Harvick Gets it Done Again at Richmond

Photo by Peter Stratta/TSJSports

NASCAR

Kevin Harvick Earns Back-to-Back Victories at Richmond

RICHMOND, Va. – The Closer strikes again for the second-straight week. For the seventh timer in his career, Kevin Harvick scores consecutive wins in the NASCAR Cup Series. After calling his car “junk” early, the Mobil1 Ford came to life in the closing laps, taking home career win number 60 at Richmond.

After starting on the front row, Ross Chastain dominated Stage 1, leading every lap. Stage 2 would see a daring move early by Joey Logano, which eventually paid off big for the 22. Logano would take Stage 2 after taking the green in 17th. By the end of Stage 2, only a handful of cars were left on the lead lap, as this entire segment ran green.

As is the case in most Richmond races, pit strategy helped shake up the late running order. After placing fourth in Stage 2, Kevin Harvick was closing in on Logano’s bumper with 120 to go. The 4 was quickly catching the 22 in lapped traffic over this run, eventually taking command after pit stops with 66 to go.

At one point in the final run to the checkers, a potential upset win was in the making. Chris Buescher was reeling in Harvick, trying to become the 16th different winner. Even with teammate Brad Keselowski holding up the 4 though, the 17 could not capitalize.

Buescher slowly faded to third, behind Christopher Bell’s fresher tires, while Harvick drove away. Harvick’s first Richmond win in nearly a decade is also career triumph number 60, tying Kyle Busch for most of active drivers.

“It’s like I said last week, the cars have been running good week in and week out,” Harvick said. “You see that we have a lot better understanding of what’s going on with how we adjusted on the car after the first run and were able to get our car handling a lot better. I think as it got dark, the racetrack really came to our Mobil 1 Ford Mustang. Just got to thank Mobil, Busch Light, GearWrench, Hunt Brothers, Rheem, Ford, Xfinity, Morton Buildings, E-Z-Go, everybody who helps Stewart Haas on this 4 car.”

“I knew [Bell] was coming, but I forgot to shift down the front straightaway the last time. I was not paying attention and he got closer than he should have. I made a mistake there a couple laps doing the same thing. I wasn’t shifting on the back and I was shifting in the front. There was a lot going on, and made a couple mistakes, let him get too close.”

“We’re just going to keep doing the things that we’re doing. I think we just have to keep an open mind about things and keep progressing and keep understanding the car, understanding what we could have done better today, understanding what we could have done better in qualifying yesterday and do the same thing over and over. I want to say hi to Piper and Keelan, Delana and everybody at home.”

Rounding out the top five behind Harvick, Bell, and Buescher were Denny Hamlin and Chase Elliott. Hamlin had arguably the car to beat until a slow last pit stop, and Elliott rallied after starting 23rd. Joey Logano, Martin Truex Jr., Aric Almirola, Kyle Busch, and Ryan Blaney were the top 10. Hear from some of these drivers below.

With both Truex and Blaney in the top 10, the points gap on the Playoff cut line grows to 26. Blaney will try and manage this gap over the last two weeks of the regular season. Up next for the NASCAR Cup Series is Watkins Glen, for the Go Bowling at the Glen. Coverage is Sunday at 3:00 p.m. ET on USA Network, MRN, and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90. Can this fifth road course race of 2022 give a surprise 16th winner? Watkins Glen aces such as Chase Elliott will be tough to beat.

Written by Peter Stratta

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Photo Credit to Peter Stratta/TSJSports