Notes and Quotes: Kevin Harvick wins NASCAR Cup Series race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway during crossover weekend on NBC

In an overtime thriller, Kevin Harvick took the checkered flag in the NASCAR Cup Series Big Machine Hand Sanitizer 400 Powered by Big Machine Records at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Sunday on NBC for his fourth win of the 2020 season and third career win at The Brickyard.

NBC Sports’ lead NASCAR race announcer Rick Allen, Daytona 500-winning crew chief Steve Letarte, 21-time Cup Series race winner Jeff Burton, and two-time Daytona 500 Champion and recent NASCAR Hall of Fame selection Dale Earnhardt Jr. called the race from the broadcast booth at Charlotte Motor Speedway in Charlotte, N.C. In Indianapolis, Marty Snider and Kelli Stavast reported from pit road while Rutledge Wood and INDYCAR driver and NBC Sports analyst James Hinchcliffe reported from the grounds.

Coverage on NBCSN began at 3 p.m. ET with NASCAR America, hosted by Mike Tirico from the top of the pagoda at Indianapolis Motor Speedway alongside analyst Dale Jarrett. Followed by Countdown to Green. Pre-race coverage on NBCSN and NBC included:

  • Interviews with Kevin Harvick, Joey Logano and Kurt Busch
  • A look back at the history of NASCAR and INDYCAR crossing over at Indianapolis Motor Speedway narrated by Kyle Petty and Mario Andretti;
  • Kurt Busch celebrated his 700th start;
  • A message from Jimmie Johnson regarding his COVID-19 diagnosis.

RACE RESULTS

Position
Driver
Car#
1
Kevin Harvick
4
2
Matt Kenseth
42
3
Aric Almirola
10
4
Brad Keselowski
2
5
Cole Custer
41

Following are highlights from this afternoon’s NASCAR Cup Series race coverage on NBC:

Allen on Harvick’s win: “That’s the 53rd career win for Kevin Harvick, he’s just one win away from tying Lee Petty for the 11th all time in wins.  What a season Kevin Harvick is having.”

Burton on the top two, Harvick and Matt Kenseth: “Two oldest guys in the field take first and second.”

Burton on coming back after seeing leader Denny Hamlin’s crash: “They saw it, but they put it behind them. They’re like ‘that’s not gonna happen to me, I’m gonna go win this race.’ And they immediately switch gears. That’s what makes racecar drivers different than average person. They can watch that, they can experience it put it out, go somewhere else with your brain.”

Earnhardt Jr. on leader Denny Hamlin’s crash with 7 laps to go: “Not only the physical pain, but the emotional pain. Knowing that you were so close to winning the Brickyard 400.”

Letarte on no practice: “This lack of practice on the weekends gives these small teams a chance.”

Letarte on Harvick’s and Hamlin’s crew chief’s role: “This is chess. Our drivers are moving the pieces and you and I get to decide who goes next.”

Burton on Hamlin/Harvick battle with 54 to go: “Denny Hamlin did everything right, but Kevin Harvick just wasn’t going to have it.”

Burton on pit crew members: “Those guys are warriors.”

Letarte on the pit road crash: “You see just how dangerous pit road can be. This is every crew chief’s worst nightmare.”

Letarte on Competition Yellow: “The idea of competition yellow is for teams to assess where they’re at, to make adjustments, to perhaps overcome a mechanical issue.”

Letarte on the Crossover Weekend: “This is the weekend that any motorsports fan has been dreaming of.”

Jarrett on NASCAR’s support of Bubba Wallace: “I really appreciate the drivers and the effort that’s been made by NASCAR to show this support and make these changes that need to be made.”

Jarrett on Bubba Wallace: “I applaud Bubba for all he’s doing and what he stands for. But I think that it’s transferring over to him in the seat of that race car. I look for him to do very well here.”

Earnhardt Jr. on Bubba Wallace: “I think he’s really buckled down and focused on his driving. His performance is showing a lot of spirit.”

Earnhardt Jr. on Ryan Blaney: “He did have a couple of off races at Pocono, but he’s ready to rebound and finish in the top 5.”

Jarrett on Denny Hamlin: “Denny has had the talent to win a championship just everything hasn’t come together at the right time. But now, he has everything.”

Jarrett on Jimmie Johnson’s positive COVID-19 test: “We want to pass along the very best to Jimmie and his wife Shannon who also tested positive.”

NBC Sports PR