AVONDALE, Ariz. (Nov. 9, 2014) – Kevin Harvick dominated the Quicken Loans Race for Heroes 500 at Phoenix International Raceway (PIR) and collected his fourth NASCAR Sprint Cup Series (NSCS) win of the season. It was the 13th time that Team Chevy captured the top two finishing positions this year. Harvick’s win also marks the 19th victory for Chevrolet in 2014.
In dominating fashion, Harvick led 264 of the 312-lap race to earn back-to-back wins at PIR for the second time in his NSCS career. He also swept the races at the 1.0-mile track in 2006. The victory advances the driver of the No. 4 Chevrolet SS to the ‘Championship’ round of the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup in the season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway.
“Congratulations to Kevin Harvick, Rodney Childress and the No. 4 Stewart-Haas Racing Chevrolet SS team on a clutch win today that locked them into the championship race next week at Homestead,” said Jim Campbell, U.S. Vice President Performance Vehicles and Motorsports. “The whole team was focused on delivering a win today.”
Harvick will be joined in the ‘Championship’ round of the Chase by fellow Team Chevy driver Ryan Newman, who fought a loose-handling No. 31 CAT Mining Chevrolet SS in the latter stages of the 312-mile contest at PIR. He took an 11th-place finish, which was enough to clinch a spot in the crowning round of the Chase.
Both Harvick and Newman will compete for their first-ever career NSCS championship title.
“We are very proud to have two Chevrolet SS drivers in the championship battle at the season finale,” continued Campbell. “Congratulations to Ryan Newman and the No. 31 Richard Childress Racing Chevy SS team on making it to the final four.”
Jeff Gordon battled hard all day behind the wheel of the No. 24 Axalta Chevrolet SS to earn his seventh runner-up finish of 2014. However, the effort was not enough to move him to the ‘Championship’ round. The four-time NSCS champion missed the opportunity to vie for the title by one point.
“Jeff Gordon and the No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports team put together an incredible year with four wins,” added Campbell. “They made a valiant effort to battle for the final four. Although they did not advance, Jeff and his team members are consummate professionals and we are so proud they are part of the Chevrolet family.”
Non-chaser’s Kurt Busch, No. 41 Haas Automation Chevrolet SS and Dale Earnhardt, Jr., No. 88 Kelley Blue Book Chevrolet SS earned top-10 finishing positions when the checkered flag flew at PIR by finishing seventh and eighth respectively.
Matt Kenseth (Toyota), Brad Keselowski (Ford) and Denny Hamlin (Toyota) completed the top-five finishers in the race.
Harvick and Newman will be joined by Hamlin and Joey Logano (Ford) as the four remaining Chase drivers at Homestead-Miami Speedway. The highest finisher of these four drivers will be crowned the 2014 NSCS champion.
The final race of the 2014 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season at Homestead-Miami Speedway will take the green flag on Sunday, November 16 at 3 p.m. ET, and will be broadcast live on ESPN, MRN, and Sirius NASCAR Radio Channel 90.