Motorsports

A close call

Kevin Harvick's win comes at the line, and with controversy. A caution flag flies too late for Mark Martin on a wreck-filled last lap.

By BRANT JAMES
Published February 19, 2007

ADVERTISEMENT [Times photo: James Borchuck] Kevin Harvick edges out Mark Martin at the line to win the Daytona 500 in front of about 180,000 spectators.

DAYTONA BEACH

It was one of those rare times when the NASCAR storyline somehow didn't follow the script. A Speedweeks marred by cheating and the suspension of five crew chiefs was a millisecond from being buffed by a fantasy finish for one of the sport's most universally liked and respected statesmen. But then there was Mark Martin, calling, with increasing foreboding in his voice, over his radio, "I can't believe they waited. Doggone it, that's a headache! I really thought that thing was ours, guys. It still might be. We were ahead, man. I was waiting for them to throw the yellow." But they hadn't, when moments earlier Kevin Harvick nudged ahead of the 48-year-old coming through the tri-oval after a frantic field wrecked behind them on the final lap of a green-white-checkered finish, and rushed to the flag to win Sunday's Daytona 500.

The problem was in the details, the precedents and feeble explanations. NASCAR "freezes" the field when a caution is issued on the final lap, which would have seemingly given Martin, who appeared to be inches ahead when the wreck occurred, his first victory in 23 tries at NASCAR's top prize. But no caution was issued until Harvick crossed the finish line, about five seconds later, though cars were careening through the tri-oval.

Jeff Gordon won at Talladega in the spring of 2004 when a caution was thrown and the order finalized as Brian Vickers spun well behind the field on the last lap. That prevented Dale Earnhardt Jr. from chasing Gordon down.

Dale Jarrett won under similar circumstances at Talladega in 2005.

This time though, NASCAR spokesman Ramsey Poston said the yellow was issued when Clint Bowyer's No. 07 Chevrolet slid behind the leaders, who had already crossed the finish line.

The official margin of victory was .020 seconds, the closest at the 500 since electronic timing was implemented in 1993.

"At the time, (Harvick) was ahead of (Martin) and declared the winner," Poston said. "The vehicles involved in the early part of the incident were off the track and on the apron," none of which television replays seemed to support.

"I knew when I got out of the car I wasn't going to be the good guy," said Harvick, who led just four laps. His first Cup victory at Daytona came six years to the day Dale Earnhardt Sr., his predecessor at Richard Childress Racing, died on the final lap of the 500.

Harvick came from seventh on the final restart and got a push from Matt Kenseth and Jeff Burton, both former Martin teammates. Martin, on the inside line, was being pushed by Kyle Busch, but Busch and Kenseth banged doors to spark the crash.

Burton was third, followed by Mike Wallace and rookie David Ragan.

Afterward, Harvick shook Martin's hand and whispered, "I'm sorry," but Martin wasn't looking for sympathy.

"Nobody here ever races less," Martin said. "Had that been the case, hypothetically, that would have broken me in half."

Martin told anyone who would listen this winter that his decision to leave Roush Racing after 19 years for semiretirement and a part-time schedule at Ginn Racing wasn't foolish, that this would be his best chance ever to win the event that has so confounded him. He validated his decision with his best finish ever at the track.

Even more tidy sets of storylines were apparently shaping the final 40 laps until the race was gnarled at dusk like sheet metal.

The culprit, Harvick said, was a cooler track that allowed more daring. Defending winner Jimmie Johnson, and Tony Stewart and Kurt Busch, who led a race-high 95 laps, were erased in separate incidents. Martin took the lead on a Lap 176 restart and held it for 25 laps, including a red flag period with three laps left after former winner Earnhardt Jr. was wrecked.

"A bunch of demons came out when it got dark, I can tell you that," Harvick said. "All hell broke loose."

Didn't it.

Brant James can be reached at brant@sptimes.com or (727) 893-8804.

Fast Facts:

Only when it counts

Kevin Harvick tied the record for fewest laps led by a Daytona 500 winnner. Winners who led fewer than 20 laps:

2006 Kevin Harvick 4

1975 Benny Parsons 4

2002 Ward Burton 5

1990 Derrike Cope 5

1993 Dale Jarrett 8

1979 Richard Petty 12

1961 Marvin Panch 13

1970 Pete Hamilton 13

1999 Jeff Gordon 17

1973 Richard Petty 17

1963 Tiny Lund 17

1969 Lee Roy Yarbrough 18

[Last modified February 19, 2007, 05:54:19]