Phoenix, AZ (Best E Casino) - Kevin Harvick captured Sunday's Checker Auto Parts 500 Nextel Cup race at the Phoenix International Raceway. The No.29 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet driver crossed the finish line 0.250 seconds ahead of Jimmie Johnson.
The victory was Harvick's fifth of the season and 10th of his "Cup" career.
"Our race car was really good," said Harvick.
Newlywed Jeff Gordon brought the field to the green flag to start the penultimate race of the 2006 Nextel Cup season. He lasted three laps before Harvick made the move around him to collect five important bonus points.
Harvick moved out to an early 1.689-second lead after 20 of a scheduled 312 laps around the one-mile Phoenix International Raceway. It was 3.858 seconds just 20 laps later.
Meanwhile, the man on the move was points leader Johnson who qualified a poor 29th, but cracked the top-10 on lap 36. By lap 75 Johnson had made his way up to third place behind Harvick and Gordon.
Harvick still was in control as the field reached the 100-lap mark. But on lap 134 Johnson grabbed the top spot from Harvick after the No.29 RCR Chevrolet had led 129 consecutive laps.
Johnson and Harvick were well ahead of third-place Denny Hamlin as they reached the 150-lap mark.
The No.48 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet was second behind Harvick when the field pitted under a caution flag. While Harvick's crew got him out first, a rare pit crew error for a missed lug nut cost Johnson five positions.
Harvick clinched the five-point bonus for most laps led on lap 189.
Now the question was could he complete the day with a win and get close enough to challenge next week for the title?
Harvick led Carl Edwards by less than one second but reported a possible charging problem with just under 100 laps to go. Johnson's car was still good and he began to weave his way back towards Harvick and Edwards. Johnson was fourth with 90 laps remaining.
Robby Gordon brought out a caution flag with 86 laps to go and anyone who stopped could now reach the checkered flag on fuel. All drivers did stop at this point and Harvick came off pit road with the lead once again. Johnson came out third and looked to make a move on Edwards.
Johnson caught Edwards with about 75 laps to go and the two "young guns" battled side-by-side. The No.48 seemed to like the bottom of the track with Edwards at the top.
But Harvick was still dominant and by lap 240 the gap between first and second was 1.154 seconds.
Johnson finally put Edwards behind him on lap 246 and he was off after Harvick. But the No.29 put up back-to-back-to-back fastest laps and the lead was 1.704 seconds.
Michael Waltrip stalled on lap 252 and it brought out the fifth caution of the race. All the leaders came in to get new tires, since they could all reach the finish on fuel.
Harvick took four tires and came out third, behind Mark Martin who took just two tires and Johnson who took four.
The two tires got Martin position, but Johnson pulled alongside the leader just one lap after the green flag dropped to restart the race. However, Johnson couldn't complete the pass and in fact fell into the clutches of Harvick on the next lap. Harvick got under Johnson and took second from him one lap later.
Also of note, Matt Kenseth cracked the top-10 for the first time in almost 200 laps on lap 265.
Then Mike Bliss and Jamie McMurray both brought out separate caution flags to slow the action. They finally went back to green on lap 281. Two laps after going green, both Harvick and Johnson got past Martin. So did Gordon and Edwards.
But the race came down to the No.29 and the No.48 Chevrolets. The two were more than two seconds ahead of third-place Gordon with 20 laps remaining.
The lead for both Harvick and Johnson was quickly erased by another caution flag, this one when Sterling Marlin and Dale Jarrett made contact. They would restart on lap 296 and off went Harvick and Johnson again. And once again, a Jeff Green spin brought out a caution flag. Another restart and another caution flag (Casey Mears) and the race would come down to a three-lap shootout after NASCAR red-flagged the race.
Harvick needed a push start from the wrecker, but he got away cleanly. The race restart was clean with Johnson right on Harvick's rear bumper. Johnson got Harvick a little loose on the white-flag lap, but with the championship on the line he didn't want to chance a wreck. He looked to the bottom of the track as they hit turn three, but there was no place to go and Johnson settled for second place.
"He was racing as hard as he could," said Harvick of Johnson. "We knew he had to finish behind us, so we did what we had to do."
"I had to decide if I wanted to rough my car up and take a chance or think of the big picture," said Johnson.
Harvick led an astounding 252 of 312 laps and never dropped out of the top-10.
Hamlin, Jeff Gordon and Edwards completed the top-five.
Johnson will take a 63-point lead over Kenseth (finished 13th) to the finale at the Homestead-Miami Speedway (6,332 - 6,269). Harvick and Hamlin will begin the race 90 points back.
The Ford 400 is set to drop the green flag at 3 p.m. on Sunday, November 19th.
