Kevin Harvick has dominated the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series at Phoenix International Raceway in recent years. But on Sunday, he had to fight over the closing half lap to score the win.
On an overtime restart, Harvick led the field to green on old tires, while Carl Edwards charged to second on fresh tires. Harvick worked to hold Edwards at bay, but with half a lap to go, Edwards got a run on the inside, moving Harvick up the track as the two raced off turn four.
Edwards moved alongside, and the two bounced off each other in a flat-out run to the checkered flag. At the line, Harvick edged out the win by .010 seconds – or about four inches – to grab his first Sprint Cup win of the season and lock him into the Chase for the Sprint Cup. Edwards finished in second, with Denny Hamlin in third, Kyle Busch in fourth and Dale Earnhardt, Jr. in fifth.
Afterwards, Harvick said the run to the finish was a fun one. We also heard from second place finisher Edwards and from Dawsonville, Georgia’s Chase Elliott, who was the highest finishing rookie in eighth place.
Up next, the NASCAR Sprint Cup and Xfinity Series wraps up the West Coast Swing, as both series travels to Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, California.
WDUN will have live MRN Radio coverage of the NASCAR race weekend at Fontana beginning on Saturday with the Xfinity Series TreatMyClots.com 300 beginning at 3:30 pm on 102.9 FM and 550 AM.
Racing action continues on Sunday with the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Auto Club 400 beginning at 2:30 pm on 102.9 FM and 550 AM.
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