{"id":1127,"date":"2016-03-13T20:30:51","date_gmt":"2016-03-14T01:30:51","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/racedaysa.com\/?p=1127"},"modified":"2016-03-13T20:30:51","modified_gmt":"2016-03-14T01:30:51","slug":"kevin-harvick-holds-off-carl-edwards-at-phoenix-by-a-matter-of-inches","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/2016\/03\/13\/kevin-harvick-holds-off-carl-edwards-at-phoenix-by-a-matter-of-inches\/","title":{"rendered":"Kevin Harvick holds off Carl Edwards at Phoenix\u2014by a matter of inches"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Reid Spencer
\n<\/b>NASCAR Wire Service<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

AVONDALE, Ariz. \u2013<\/span><\/span><\/strong> In recent years, Kevin Harvick has exercised his dominance at Phoenix International Raceway by crushing the competition.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\"Kevin

Kevin Harvick, driver of the #4 Jimmy John’s Chevrolet, beats Carl Edwards, driver of the #19 Stanley Toyota, to the checkered flag to win the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Good Sam 500 at Phoenix International Raceway on March 13, 2016 in Avondale, Arizona. Photo by Jonathan Ferrey\/NASCAR via Getty Images<\/p><\/div>\n

In Sunday\u2019s Good Sam 500 at the one-mile track in the Sonoran Desert, he maintained his mastery by a matter of inches, banging fenders with Carl Edwards in a side-by side overtime battle on the way to the finish line.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

After the drivers traded shots on the way to the stripe, Harvick pulled ahead to win the fourth NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race of the season by .010 seconds (roughly four inches), the identical margin by which Denny Hamlin had beaten Martin Truex Jr. in the season-opening Daytona 500.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

In the closest finish ever at PIR, Harvick won for the eighth time at the track and the fifth time in six starts since joining Stewart-Haas Racing. Harvick collected his 32nd career victory, nine of which have come since 2013.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

The 2014 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion seemed poised for a decisive win before Kasey Kahne blew a tire and smacked the outside wall on Lap 305 of a scheduled 312. That brought out the fifth and final caution of the race and forced a restart on Lap 312, sending the event one circuit beyond its posted distance.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Harvick, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Austin Dillon stayed out on old tires during the caution, but Edwards led a parade to pit road for fresh rubber, and by the time the front of the field cleared Turn 2 on the restart lap, Edwards had moved into second place.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\"Kevin

Kevin Harvick, driver of the #4 Jimmy John’s Chevrolet SS, celebrates his eighth Phoenix win Sunday, March 13, 2016 in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Phoenix International Raceway in Avondale, Arizona. He won by a hundredth of a second, closest finish in NASCAR Sprint Cup History. This was Harvick’s 500th consecutive series start, a feat accomplished only by 14 others throughout the history of NASCAR. (Photo by Gregg Ellman for Chevy Racing)<\/p><\/div>\n

As the cars sped through the final two corners on the last lap, Edwards nudged Harvick\u2019s No. 4 Chevrolet and dived to the inside. Twice their cars collided in the final quarter-mile, with Harvick winning the drag race to the finish.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

“Well, I knew he was better through (Turns) 3 and 4,” Harvick said of Edwards. “That was not the car that I wanted to see behind me. I knew I could beat him down there, and I tried to protect the bottom in (Turns) 3 and 4 and I just missed the bottom with all the rubber build-up on the tires and everything.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

“But, all in all, I knew I was going to be on defense down there. I got up too high and wasn\u2019t able to stay on the bottom like I wanted to, and then he got into me, like he should have, and I needed to get a good run off the corner, and I was going to have to get into his door and it worked out\u2014just barely.”<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Edwards deliberately moved Harvick on the final lap, but, just as deliberately, the driver of the No. 19 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota stopped short of wrecking his opponent.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

“We made him work for it,” Edwards said. “That’s more than we’ve been able to do here the last few times. Just a lot of fun. I really wish it would have worked out a little bit differently, but it’s a good race.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\"Kevin

Kevin Harvick, driver of the #4 Jimmy John’s Chevrolet SS, celebrates his eighth Phoenix win with his crew Sunday, March 13, 2016 in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Phoenix International Raceway in Avondale, Arizona. He won by a hundredth of a second, closest finish in NASCAR Sprint Cup History. This was Harvick’s 500th consecutive series start, a feat accomplished only by 14 others throughout the history of NASCAR. (Photo by Harold Hinson for Chevy Racing)<\/p><\/div>\n

“I ran into him about as hard as I thought I could without wrecking him, and it ended up being a drag race. It was kind of fun coming to the line because I thought, man, I got him, and then he doored me real hard and then he got a little run, and then I tried to door him and slow him down, but it just didn’t work.”<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Denny Hamlin came home third, followed by pole winner Kyle Busch, as Joe Gibbs Racing claimed the second, third and fourth finishing positions. Earnhardt fell from second to fifth after the final restart. Kurt Busch, Matt Kenseth, rookie Chase Elliott, Austin Dillon and rookie Ryan Blaney completed the top 10.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Harvick started the race from 18th and gradually worked his way to the front, taking the lead for the first time after a restart on Lap 169. From that point, Harvick led a race-high 139 laps and opened a lead of more than two seconds over Earnhardt before the final caution.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Harvick leaves Phoenix tied for the series lead with Kyle Busch, but Harvick holds the tiebreaker on the strength of his first victory of the season. Busch has yet to win this year.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Note: <\/span><\/span><\/strong>The margin of victory was tied for the seventh closest in series history since the advent of electronic timing and scoring in 1993.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Race – Good Sam 500<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

Phoenix International Raceway<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

Avondale, AZ – 1 Mile Paved<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

Sunday, March 13, 2016<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 1. (18)\u00a0 Kevin Harvick, Chevrolet, 313<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 2. (2)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Carl Edwards, Toyota, 313<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 3. (3)\u00a0 Denny Hamlin, Toyota, 313\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 4. (1)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Kyle Busch, Toyota, 313<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 5. (26)\u00a0 Dale Earnhardt Jr., Chevrolet, 313<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 6. (4)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Kurt Busch, Chevrolet, 313\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 7. (6)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Matt Kenseth, Toyota, 313\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 8. (17)\u00a0 Chase Elliott #, Chevrolet, 313\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 9. (15)\u00a0 Austin Dillon, Chevrolet, 313\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 10. (12) * Ryan Blaney #, Ford, 313\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 11. (5)\u00a0 Jimmie Johnson, Chevrolet, 313\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 12. (7)\u00a0 Kyle Larson, Chevrolet, 313\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 13. (14) Aric Almirola, Ford, 313\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 14. (8)\u00a0 Martin Truex Jr., Toyota, 313\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 15. (28) Ty Dillon(i), Chevrolet, 313<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 16. (11) Jamie McMurray, Chevrolet, 313\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 17. (22) AJ Allmendinger, Chevrolet, 313\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 18. (9)\u00a0 Joey Logano, Ford, 312<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 19. (36) Danica Patrick, Chevrolet, 312\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 20. (23) Matt DiBenedetto, Toyota, 312\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 21. (13) Greg Biffle, Ford, 312\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 22. (24) Kasey Kahne, Chevrolet, 312\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 23. (21) Trevor Bayne, Ford, 311\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 24. (29) David Ragan, Toyota, 309\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 25. (27) Landon Cassill, Ford, 308\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 26. (33) Michael McDowell, Chevrolet, 308\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 27. (30) Brian Scott #, Ford, 308\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 28. (31) Regan Smith, Chevrolet, 308\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 29. (19) Brad Keselowski, Ford, 307\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 30. (32) Chris Buescher #, Ford, 307\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 31. (35) Clint Bowyer, Chevrolet, 307\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 32. (39) Joey Gase(i), Ford, 305\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 33. (38) Michael Annett, Chevrolet, 303<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 34. (37) * Josh Wise, Chevrolet, 303\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 35. (25) Casey Mears, Chevrolet, 268\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 36. (34) * Cole Whitt, Chevrolet, 236\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 37. (10) Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Ford, 161\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 38. (16) Paul Menard, Chevrolet, 104\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 39. (20) Ryan Newman, Chevrolet, 51\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Average Speed: 113.212 MPH<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Time of Race:\u00a0\u00a0 2 Hrs, 45 Mins, 53 Secs. Margin of Victory: 0.010 Seconds<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Caution Flags:\u00a0 5 for 30 laps<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Lead Changes: 7 among 4 drivers<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Lap Leaders: Kyle Busch 1-74; D. Earnhardt Jr. 75-108; C. Edwards 109-163; Kyle Busch 164; C. Edwards 165-168; K. Harvick 169-228; C. Edwards 229-234; K. Harvick 235-313.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Leaders Summary: (Drivers, Times, Laps Led): K. Harvick 2 times for 139 laps; K. Busch 2 times for 75 laps; C. Edwards 3 times for 65 laps; D. Earnhardt Jr. 1 time for 34 laps.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Chase Grid Outlook: 1. K. Harvick 154 (1 wins);2. J. Johnson 140 (1);3. D. Hamlin 131 (1);4. B. Keselowski 110 (1);5. Kyle Busch 154 (0);6. Kurt Busch 137 (0);7. C. Edwards 136 (0);8. J. Logano 127 (0);9. A. Dillon 122 (0);10. M. Truex Jr. 117 (0);11. D. Earnhardt Jr. 115 (0);12.*. Blaney # 104 (0);13. A. Almirola 100 (0);14. K. Kahne 96 (0);15. J. McMurray 94 (0);16. M. Kenseth 90 (0).<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By Reid Spencer NASCAR Wire Service AVONDALE, Ariz. \u2013 In recent years, Kevin Harvick has exercised his dominance at Phoenix International Raceway by crushing the competition. In Sunday\u2019s Good Sam 500 at the one-mile track in the Sonoran Desert, he maintained his mastery by a matter of inches, banging fenders with Carl Edwards in a […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1060,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ngg_post_thumbnail":0,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[11],"tags":[104,95,16,94],"class_list":["post-1127","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-nascar","tag-carl-edwards","tag-kevin-harvick","tag-nascar","tag-phoenix-international-raceway"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/racedaysa.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/03\/PIR_NSCS_Checkered_031316.jpg?fit=3278%2C2186","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p7hzTZ-ib","jetpack-related-posts":[],"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1127","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1127"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"http:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1127\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1132,"href":"http:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1127\/revisions\/1132"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1060"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1127"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1127"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1127"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}