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NASCAR lays down law with Harvick

MARTINSVILLE, Va. -- Kevin Harvick earned the reputation as NASCAR's newest bad boy with on-track incidents worse than the rough driving in Saturday's truck race.

But NASCAR had seen enough.

The sanctioning body parked Harvick for Sunday's Virginia 500 at Martinsville Speedway, the first time it has kept a driver out of a Winston Cup race for aggressive driving.

Kenny Wallace filled in and was 32nd in the No. 29 Chevrolet. Harvick, 26, spun out Coy Gibbs after a restart with 63 laps left in the Advance Auto Parts 250. NASCAR parked Harvick and told him to report to the officials' trailer. Harvick is on probation for an incident with Greg Biffle during the Busch Grand National race at Bristol in March. Harvick wasn't available for comment.

He faces a possible fine and suspension this week at Talladega, but unlike being parked, a suspension can be appealed. NASCAR could make an announcement in the coming days.

Though Winston Cup owner Richard Childress did not condone his driver's behavior, he disagreed with NASCAR's punishment.

"NASCAR had to do something in response to Kevin Harvick's actions during the truck race, but I think their response was completely wrong," Childress said in a statement.

"He has had problems in the Busch and Truck series and had been on probation for his actions, but the decision to park him during the Winston Cup race is wrong. NASCAR should keep the punishments separate to each series. ... NASCAR is also punishing the entire No. 29 team and all of Richard Childress Racing for one person's actions."

Harvick dropped seven places in the standings, to 29th.

NASCAR spokesman Jim Hunter said the ruling sends a message.

"I think this is NASCAR's way of saying here is another option that we have available and will use to maintain some level of professionalism," Hunter said.

Wallace said NASCAR showed Harvick who is in charge.

"We've all been teasing NASCAR lately that this has been the WWF (World Wrestling Federation), and this sends a message that it's not," Wallace said. "I think that NASCAR is probably testing us to see if we're paying attention and if we respect them."

Harvick, who made his Winston Cup debut one week after Dale Earnhardt was killed in the 2001 Daytona 500, finished in the top 10 in points despite missing one of 36 races. He will face the same challenge again, though few in the garage Sunday morning sympathized with Harvick.

"I don't feel sorry for Harvick at all," said Robbie Loomis, crew chief for Jeff Gordon. "I feel sorry for the team because I know how hard we work every day to compete for the championship. But if you mess in somebody's pool and you want to keep swimming in it, at some point you have to quit messing in it."

The last driver NASCAR parked was D.K. Ulrich in 1978, when a bottle of nitrous oxide hidden in sheet metal was revealed during a violent accident. Ulrich missed 12 races.

WHAT A VIEW: Terry Labonte led twice for 11 laps. When he took the lead from Ward Burton on Lap 274, it was the first time he led since Oct. 15, 2000, at Talladega, a span of 51 races.

MUSCLE MAN: Defending series champion Gordon, who started on the pole and led 68 laps, drove nearly half the race without power steering in his No. 24 Chevrolet. After contending early, he finished 23rd.

"That was one of the hardest things I've ever had to do in a race car," Gordon said. "I had to double-grip it; take two handfuls. Every time I went into the corner, I was so mad that I just had to jerk on the wheel."

ROUSH'S RUN: All four Roush Racing drivers were in the top 10: Matt Kenseth (second), Mark Martin (eighth), Jeff Burton (ninth) and Kurt Busch (10th). Martin moved two places to third in points, 102 behind leader Sterling Marlin.

PIT STOPS: Rookie Jimmie Johnson (35th) ended a streak of five top-10 finishes. ... Dale Jarrett posted his seventh straight top 10 at Martinsville; Dale Earnhardt Jr. his first in five starts.

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