NASCAR: Kevin Harvick eyes rebound; Carl Edwards on Sylvania 300 pole

Kevin Harvick remains tight-lipped with his feelings about an on- and off-track incidents with Jimmie Johnson during last week’s race at Chicagoland Speedway.

“I don’t have a lot to say about any of it,” Harvick said Friday at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, where he qualified second for Sunday’s Sylvania 300. “I’m just here to race and do what I need to do in the next two weeks.”

What Harvick has to do over the next two races is scramble from 15th place in NASCAR’s Chase standings to qualify for the playoffs’ second round. He finished 42nd in the Chase opener at Chicagoland Speedway after a cut tire spun his No. 4 Chevy, eventually putting him 58 laps behind winner Denny Hamlin. Harvick needs to move into the top 12 of the standings or win Sunday or at Dover (Del.) next week to advance.

Harvick’s tire had gone flat after Johnson made contact with him during a restart a few laps earlier, an accident Johnson said was unintentional. Harvick didn’t buy that explanation, striking Johnson in the chest during a post-race confrontation in the drivers’ motor home lot.

“I’ve been on the flip side of that before and although I wasn’t happy to see whoever it was, it meant something to me and I appreciated the fact that they came to my bus to see me,” Johnson said. “No, I wasn’t surprised (Harvick) was upset. I knew good and well going over there that he wouldn’t be in the best mood. But I thought it was important to make contact with him and talk to him, based on experiences I’ve been in the past.

“I didn’t go over there to fight. I just wanted to handle the situation the way I thought things have been handled in the past between us.”

Johnson said he didn’t know if Harvick might retaliate further on the track Sunday or at any other time during the Chase.

“I truthfully don’t know what to expect,” Johnson said. “I know what I’m hoping for, but there’s no telling what will take place. That’s what’s exciting about the Chase: the intensity it brings. Everybody is focused on us now.”

When asked about the situation, Harvick invoked Seattle Seahawks running back Marshawn Lynch’s philosophy on not speaking with the media during last February’s Super Bowl.

“I’m just here so I won’t get fined,” Harvick said.

There was another element of humor injected into the situation, apparently by track officials. A punching bag with a pair of boxing gloves was placed in the motor home lot, with a sign reading: “Chase stress reliever.”

But Harvick also said if he did have any retribution in mind, he wouldn’t say so publicly.

“I don’t use (the media) to make threats,” he said. “I can do that myself.”

Notes

▪ Carl Edwards’ lap of 137.980 was good enough to win the pole for Sunday’s race. It is Edwards’ third pole of the season. He’ll start on the front row with Harvick.

▪ Kurt Busch crew chief Tony Gibson was at the New Hampshire track Friday, three days after having an emergency appendectomy.

▪ College sophomore Matt Tifft is in the field for Saturday’s Xfinity Series race at Kentucky Speedway. Tifft has raced for two seasons in the Truck series, and also has K&N Pro series experience. One of the sponsors of Tifft’s Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota will be Tifft’s school – UNC Charlotte.

“This is definitely a big step,” said Tifft. “JGR has been super fast all year and they definitely seem to be on a roll. It’s a chance for me to race with the best equipment in the garage. It’s a huge opportunity for me and it’s really cool to get a shot.”

This story was originally published September 25, 2015 at 9:36 PM with the headline "NASCAR: Kevin Harvick eyes rebound; Carl Edwards on Sylvania 300 pole."