Motorsports

Emotional Harvick wins Busch

By wire services
Published November 6, 2005

FORT WORTH, Texas - A fast pit stop helped Kevin Harvick grab an emotional victory Saturday in the NASCAR Busch series race at Texas Motor Speedway.

Harvick, whose father-in-law died last week after a long illness, took the lead with a pit stop of just over 17 seconds on Lap 168 of the 200-lap race. He then ran off to his fourth victory and 17th career win in the Busch series.

The part-time Busch driver beat fellow Nextel Cup star Greg Biffle. Harvick was about two seconds and 20 car lengths ahead of Biffle on the 1.5-mile oval halfway through the last lap when J.J. Yeley crashed, ending the race under caution.

Harvick, who also will race in today's Dickies 500 on the Texas track, was teary-eyed and could barely speak after getting long hugs from wife DeLana and his Cup car owner Richard Childress in Victory Circle.

"Yeah, it's been a tough week," he said, choking back the tears. "I want to thank all these guys, my wife, everybody. It's tough."

Later, a dry-eyed Harvick said, "It's been the hardest week I've ever had to go through. This (win) has been a little release to help heal the thing, but you've just got to take it day by day.

"Everything just worked out. We had a great pit stop and the 39 (Ryan Newman) didn't pit and then got bit by the caution. If we hadn't made a lot of good adjustments on that last stop, though, it wouldn't have been such a good day."

Biffle, runnerup in a Busch race for the fifth time in the last eight races, shrugged off his disappointment. "I'm the king of second places," he said, grinning. "No problem finishing second to Kevin today. We're all happy he won."

Newman, yet another of the so-called Buschwhackers - Cup stars who race part-time in Busch - looked like he was on the way to his sixth straight Busch victory, leading 122 of the first 134 laps.

But Newman gambled on Lap 106, staying on the track when the other 17 cars on the lead lap pitted for gas and fresh tires. Eventually, Newman lost the lead to Kasey Kahne and his newer tires on Lap 135, after a two-car duel for several laps. Then, Newman lost his shot at the victory when he pitted under the green flag on Lap 160 while running second.

Kahne crashed six laps later, moments after being passed for the lead by Biffle. The caution put Newman a lap down. He was able to get back on the lead lap, but finished 16th, the last car on the lead lap.

Clint Bowyer finished seventh and gained 16 points on series leader and reigning champion Martin Truex Jr., who was 11th. Truex leads Bowyer by 84 with two races left.

CHAMP CAR: Justin Wilson cut nearly two seconds off his provisional qualifying time and won the pole for the Mexico City Grand Prix, improving his hold on third place.

NHRA: At the Auto Club Finals in Pomona, Calif., Funny Car points leader Gary Scelzi ran 4.696 seconds at 330.23 mph to earn his sixth top qualifying position of the season. He increased his series lead to eight points over Ron Capps (10th) and 32 over 13-time champion John Force (sixth). Tony Schumacher (Top Fuel) had a run in 4.466 at 328.78 for a season-record 11th top spot of the year. Jason Line (Pro Stock, track-record 6.677 seconds at 206.83) and Matt Smith (Pro Stock Motorcycle, track-record 7.000 seconds at 189.71 mph) were also top qualifiers.

[Last modified November 6, 2005, 02:02:18]