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SPORTS Monday 13 august 2018

Harvick wins at Michigan for NASCAR-high 7th victory of year

By LARRY LAGE
AP Sports Writer
BROOKLYN, Mich. (AP) —
Kevin Harvick capped off
his father-son weekend by
dominating a race and
putting 6-year-old son
Keelan in the passenger
seat to hold the flapping,
checkered flag out of
the window. “That was
definitely way up there on
the bucket list,” Harvick
said. Harvick broke a tie
atop NASCAR’s Big 3 by
easily winning at Michigan
International Speedway
for his Cup-high seventh
victory of the season.
His No. 4 Ford finished 3-plus
seconds ahead of Brad
Keselowski’s No. 2 Ford on
Sunday in the Consumers
Energy 400. Points leader
Kyle Busch finished third in
his No. 18 Toyota — more
than 4 seconds behind
Harvick. “I was front of him
for about 5 laps,” Busch
joked. Busch has won six
races this year and Martin
Truex Jr. has finished in first
four times. The rest of the Kevin Harvick celebrates his victory after a NASCAR Cup Series auto race at Michigan International Speedway in Brooklyn, Mich.,
field has combined to win Sunday, Aug. 12, 2018.
just six of 23 races. Associated Press
Truex Jr., the third driver eighth at MIS after finishing 14th in the standings. The 40-car field. day.”
in NASCAR’s Big 3 with 13th in last week’s race at seven-time Cup champion Soon after a restart early CLOSE KEZ
Harvick and Busch, was Watkins Glen. was running in the top in the race, rookie William Keselowski, who is from
14th in the 40-car field in his WHO’S HOT 15 late in the race when Byron’s No. 24 Chevrolet suburban Detroit, is still
No. 78 Toyota. Keselowski Harvick won each of a loose wheel led to an got loose and made desperately seeking his
said he couldn’t be more three stages and led 108 unscheduled pit stop and side-by-side contact with first win in Michigan. The
aggressive late in the 200- laps, more than four times a 28th-place finish a week Truex to bring out another Penske Racing driver
lap race because Harvick more than anyone else on after he was 30th at Watkins caution flag. finished second in a Cup
was simply so far ahead. the 2-mile oval. His seven Glen. “Anything that could have race for the second time
Austin Dillon, in the No. victories have helped Ford ROUGH DAY went wrong did,” Truex at MIS, where he also has a
3 Chevrolet, was fourth earn 10 Cup victories, Truex was running with the said. “We got wrecked by a trio of third-place finishes in
followed by Ryan Blaney’s matching its total from last leaders during the second rookie mistake underneath 19 career starts.
No. 12 Ford. year and pulling within one stage before running out us, and then ran out of “The last three weeks we’ve
Denny Hamlin led the field of Toyota’s total. of gas and going into the gas. We could’ve won had some big struggles,”
to the green flag for the WHO’S NOT pits, which were closed. the second stage. We just Keselowski said. “It’s nice to
second straight week, but Jimmie Johnson has not He also was penalized for didn’t have enough gas. be able to have a mostly
his No. 11 Toyota could not finished better than 10th in an uncontrollable tire and The car was fast. We just clean race and get the
stay ahead. He ended up his last nine races and sits pushed to the back of the couldn’t catch a break all finish we deserve.q