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Notes of Interest |
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● Kevin Harvick is the apple of one’s eye at Michigan International Speedway in Brooklyn, which is fitting since the 2004 NASCAR Cup Series champion will race the No. 4 Busch Light Apple Ford Mustang in the FireKeepers Casino 400. In his last six races at the 2-mile oval, Harvick has won four times and finished second once. His worst finish is a mere seventh.
● Who was the last driver not named Harvick to win at Michigan? That would be Joey Logano on June 10, 2019 when Harvick finished seventh. What else was No. 1 on that date? Lil Nas X’s Old Town Road was the No. 1 song and The Secret Life of Pets 2 was the No. 1 movie until being usurped by Toy Story 4.
● Harvick has won the past three races at Michigan, including a sweep of the doubleheader last year. In taking back-to-back checkered flags on Aug. 8-9 at Michigan, Harvick became the first driver to win two NASCAR Cup Series races on consecutive days since Richard Petty in 1971 when Petty won July 14 at Albany-Saratoga Speedway in Malta, New York, and July 15 at Islip (N.Y.) Speedway.
● Harvick’s sweep of last year’s Michigan doubleheader earned him an accolade no other driver had ever achieved. He was the first NASCAR Cup Series driver in series history to win on back-to-back days at the same track.
● Harvick can tie another record with a win Sunday at Michigan. Bill Elliott holds the series record for most consecutive wins at Michigan with four, as the NASCAR Hall of Famer swept the track’s slate of NASCAR Cup Series races in 1985 and 1986. Harvick has won four of the last five races at Michigan, including the last three. He is one of just 10 drivers who have earned consecutive wins at Michigan, joining Bobby Allison (1971 sweep), David Pearson (1972 sweep-1973 and 1974-1975), Cale Yarborough (1983 sweep), Elliott (1985 sweep-1986 sweep), Bobby Labonte (1995 sweep), Mark Martin (1997-1998), Ryan Newman (2003-2004), Greg Biffle (2004-2005 and 2012-2013) and Kyle Larson (2016-2017 sweep).
● The FireKeepers Casino 400 will mark Harvick’s 41st career NASCAR Cup Series start at Michigan, tying him with Kurt Busch for the most among active drivers. Since making his first start at the track on June 10, 2001, Harvick has scored five wins, 15 top-five and 21 top-10 finishes while leading 699 laps, all of which are series bests. Harvick’s five wins are two more than Busch, Larson and Logano, all of whom are tied with three wins apiece. Harvick’s 15 top-fives are five more than next best Martin Truex Jr. (10 top-fives). Harvick’s 21 top-10s are four more than next best Logano (17 top-10s), as are his 699 laps led, which is 109 more laps than Logano (590 laps led).
● Harvick’s first NASCAR Cup Series win at Michigan came on Aug. 15, 2010. Fifteen races passed before Harvick’s second win on Aug. 12, 2018, but in that span he finished second six times, including a run of four straight runner-up finishes (2013-2014).
● Harvick has flexed his muscles outside of the NASCAR Cup Series at Michigan. In 11 career NASCAR Xfinity Series starts at the track, Harvick has a win (August 2003), four top-fives and nine top-10s. And in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, Harvick has a win (August 2011) and two top-fives and four top-11s.
● If Michigan were a bingo card, Harvick would’ve yelled “Bingo” more than anyone… until Sunday’s FireKeepers Casino 400. Busch Light Apple is integrating Bingo into the 200-lap race where fans will have the chance to win $1,000 per stage and other Busch Light Apple prizes by playing its version of Bingo on Twitter. All fans have to do is follow @BuschBeer, turn on their notifications, and play along. Whenever anything listed on the Busch Light Apple Bingo board happens, fans have the opportunity to win Busch Light Apple swag. If three spaces connect, they have a chance to win $1,000. Just tweet #BuschLightApple #Sweepstakes when anything on the board happens, and you’ll be entered for a chance to win. Bingo blocks include “Start of Stage”, “Caution Flag”, “Harvick in First”, “Harvick Pit Stop”, “End of Stage”, “20th Lap of Stage”, “Busch Light Apple Commercial” and “40th Lap of Stage”. FYI: The first two stages are 60 laps apiece and the final stage is 80 laps. The FireKeepers Casino 400 starts at 3 p.m. EDT and can be seen live on NBCSN and, of course, those 21 and older can best enjoy it with a Busch Light Apple, a crisp, refreshing, apple-flavored lager with a touch of sweet on the front end and a clear, beer finish on the back end. It is available for a limited time only in 12-, 24- and 30-packs at a store near you.
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