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SPORTS Monday 26 June 2017

Kevin Harvick wins at Sonoma for 1st victory of season

By JENNA FRYER given him some inside for his final NASCAR vic-
AP Auto Racing Writer knowledge. tory last year at the track,
SONONA, Calif. (AP) — “It kept me from sitting was second and Brad Ke-
Kevin Harvick led a 1-2-3 around and trying to find selowski third as Ford cars
podium sweep for Ford something to do on Sat- went 1-2-3.
while proving that veteran urday,” Harvick said. “I For Harvick, it was the first
experience still counts for think that was the biggest victory since Stewart-Haas
something in NASCAR. thing. I’m sitting around Racing switched to Ford
Harvick returned to victory and there’s guys out here this season. Harvick had
lane for the first time this making laps and learning spent 16 years in a Chev-
season with a dominating things, and I think that’s the rolet.
run Sunday on the road most important thing is to It was Ford’s seventh victo-
course at Sonoma Race- never take for granted that ry of the season. Ford won
way. The former NASCAR you have to try to expand eight Cup races last sea-
champion came to So- your knowledge and keep son, and seven came ex-
noma winless in 20 races an open mind to making clusively from Team Penske
since Kansas last fall and things better. drivers. This year, the manu-
has been overshadowed “To finally check this one facturer has wins from Pen- Kevin Harvick celebrates after winning the NASCAR Sprint Cup
in this season of NASCAR’s off the list .... being so close ske, Roush-Fenway Racing, Series auto race Sunday, June 25, 2017, in Sonoma, Calif.
young new superstars. to home and having raced The Wood Brothers and Associated Press
But at a track where experi- here so much, this was one SHR.
ence and ability can sepa- that was on the top of the “I had mixed emotions people at Stewart-Haas ing and hoped to give the
rate the field, it was Harvick list.” about how the year was Racing.” owner a sweep of Sun-
and a bunch of veterans Harvick was on cruise con- going to go just because Martin Truex Jr. led 25 laps day after Scott Dixon won
who led the way. It was trol and conserving fuel in of the fact that we had a but suffered an engine fail- the IndyCar race at Road
the first win on the winding the race that ended under lot on our plate to switch ure and finished 37th. Truex America in Wisconsin. Most
wine country road course caution after Kasey Kahne over,” Harvick said. “It’s won the first stage of the of the top 10 was com-
in 17 tries for the Bakersfield, had a hard accident on just a big undertaking, and race, his series-leading 11th prised of veterans. Joe
California, driver. the final lap. Either way, one day I think when we stage victory. Jimmie John- Gibbs Racing teammates
Sonoma was one of just Harvick had a cozy 9-sec- get done with this year, I son won the second stage, Denny Hamlin and Kyle
four active tracks where ond lead over Stewart- think everybody will actual- his first stage victory of the Busch were fourth and fifth
Harvick had never before Haas Racing teammate ly learn all the details of all season, but finished 13th in Toyota, while Dale Earn-
scored a Cup victory. He Clint Bowyer before the the things that it took to get overall. hardt Jr. was sixth and the
did, however, win the K&N caution. to this particular point. It’s Kyle Larson and Jamie highest-finishing Chevrolet.
Series race at Sonoma on Bowyer, now the driver for a huge undertaking, and I McMurray started on the Daytona 500 winner Kurt
Saturday and it may have the entry Tony Stewart used think it says a lot about our pole for Chip Ganassi Rac- Busch was seventh.q

Tebow homer three games later, a decade older than sev-

Continued from page 17 but he has been mostly in- eral of his teammates.
consistent at the plate. “We’ve said he’s just one
Tebow got a loud ova- That’s baseball, Tebow of 25 guys,” Columbia
tion when he came to the said. He went 0 for 3 during president John Katz said.
plate for the first time Sun- Saturday’s win over Kan- “At the end of the day, he
day with the bases loaded napolis, but drove in two really is. He wants to suc-
in the first inning. He then runs. ceed. He puts in the work
hit a hot shot right at the “I know that my progress and hopefully, he’ll have
first baseman to end the has led me to having three continued success at a
inning. He went 0 for 2 with good at-bats, to bring in higher level.”
a walk. two guys,” he said. “As an That’s Alderson’s wish, too,
Next up is a more challeng- athlete you can’t worry as Tebow continues a jour-
ing level. Still, he’s happy about those things. ney that he hopes ends at
to be headed back to the Tim Tebow hits a single during his first at bat against the River- You have to focus on, ‘Am Citi Field in New York.
Sunshine State, where he Dogs at Joseph P. Riley Jr. Park in Charleston S.C. on Friday, I seeing the pitches? What “I wouldn’t say he has ex-
still has family, friends and June 16, 2017. am I doing with them? celled” at Columbia, Al-
many, many supporters in Associated Press Am I doing damage with derson said. “But at the
Gator colors. them?’” same time, what he’s done
“I obviously love Florida so cus is improving as a base- stop had a storybook start Tebow certainly looked there — given all the cir-
this is nice,” he said with a ball player.” with a home run in his first comfortable in the Fireflies’ cumstances — justified the
grin. “But the goal and fo- Tebow’s first pro baseball at-bat. He added another clubhouse, despite being promotion.”q