Harvick to the back with blown engine at Atlanta

HAMPTON, Ga. - Going into Saturday's final practice session for Sunday's NASCAR Sprint Cup Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway, Kevin Harvick was slated to start second alongside pole sitter Joey Logano.

After the final practice, however, Harvick finds himself having to start at the back of the field.

Thirty-five laps into the session, the engine in Harvick's No. 4 Jimmy John's Chevrolet blew up. By NASCAR rules, changing the engine will relegate the defending Sprint Cup champion to the back of the pack for the start of Sunday's race.

Coincidentally, Harvick was fastest in the final practice session, turning a lap at 191.054 mph before the engine went south.

"Mainly the Hendrick engine guys just wanting to know what I felt," Harvick said of the failed engine. "This is a very rare occasion. This is the first one I have ever had. The engine shop does a great job. I am just glad that it happened today. Our Jimmy John's/Budweiser team is doing a great job and the car is handling good. If we were going to have something happen, this is a good place to have it happen because you can pass."

And, after several teams failed to clear technical inspection on Friday and were unable to qualify, he won't be alone when it comes to quality cars at the back of the starting grid. Among those set to roll off from the back are Jimmie Johnson, Matt Kenseth, Jeff Gordon and Tony Stewart, who have a combined 14 Sprint Cup championships between them.

"It will just make for a better show," said Harvick.

Harvick has already put on quite a show this weekend. He backed up his strong qualifying run on Friday by dominating Saturday's NASCAR Xfinity Series race, leading 101 of the 163 laps that made up the Hisense 200.

Harvick's win, along with the win of Matt Crafton in Saturday's Camping World Truck Series race, has the track buzzing about numerology.

Harvick drove the No. 88 JR Motorsports Chevrolet to victory lane in the Xfinity Series race. Crafton, who ran away with the Truck Series event, drives the No. 88 Toyota.

If the numbers game holds true, that could mean that Dale Earnhardt, Jr., who pilots the No. 88 Nationwide Chevy in the Sprint Cup Series, could have a very good day in Atlanta.

WDUN will have live PRN Radio coverage of Sunday's NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 from the Atlanta Motor Speedway, beginning at 12 p.m. on 102.9 FM and at 1 p.m. on 550 AM.