Kevin Harvick began the 2010 NASCAR Sprint Cup season on a high note, holding off Kasey Kahne to win the Budweiser Shootout at Daytona International Speedway. Harvick’s victory came in a backup car which he had not practiced at all due to illness.
Kasey Kahne finished in second, with Jamie McMurray, Kyle Busch, and Denny Hamlin rounding out the top 5.
“Man that thing was a rocket,” said Harvick in Gatorade Victory Lane. “The best thing is that it handled great.”
Harvick, who was running fourth on the final restart, dove to the inside line, passing Greg Biffle’s #16 3M Ford. In an attempt to help Biffle, Jeff Gordon bumped the #16, sending the Ford spinning into the rest of the field.
Gordon said after the race that he wasn’t trying to wreck Biffle, rather he was trying to push him to the win.
Richard Childress Racing teammates Clint Bowyer and Jeff Burton practiced the #29 Penzoil Chevy for Harvick on Thursday. Bowyer was involved in a wreck in the first practice, forcing crew chief Gil Martin to bring out a backup car for Burton to practice.
,
Carl Edwards dominated early in the Shootout, leading the entire 25 lap first segment. After the ten minute break, however, the rest of the field was able to make adjustments, caught, and passed the #99 Roush Racing Ford.
Kurt Busch was not as lucky as Harvick this week, wrecking his second Miller Lite Dodge in three days. Busch was bumped in the corner by Mark Martin, sending the Blue Deuce sliding across the infield grass and straight into the SAFER barrier just before turn 1. Busch was checked out at the infield care center and released.
