Joliet, Ill. – Some people have criticized Chicagoland Speedway for its bland “cookie cutter” layout, but it’s more like a cookie jar for Kevin Harvick.
Harvick won the Busch Series race at Chicagoland on Saturday, his fourth overall victory at the 7-year-old track on the outskirts of Chicago.
What makes him so good here?
“I don’t know,” Harvick said. “I wish I knew, so we could build some more like this.”
Harvick won the first two Cup races at Chicagoland in 2001 and 2002, and won the track’s Busch race in 2005. Chicagoland might lack the character of older tracks and look a little too similar to Kansas Speedway for racing purists, but Harvick has liked the place since the first time he tested there.
“We know what it takes to go fast here, and it’s just evolved through the years,” Harvick said.
Harvick was fast again Saturday, ducking under Richard Childress Racing teammate Jeff Burton to take the lead with 27 laps to go.
Matt Kenseth passed Burton for second with 14 laps left, but couldn’t chase down Harvick in time. Kenseth finished second, followed by Burton and Clint Bowyer – putting three Richard Childress Racing cars in the top four.
IRL: The IRL Firestone Indy 200 was postponed and rescheduled for today, marking the first rainout in the IndyCar Series in seven years.
The cars made it as far as the starting grid before the rain began. The showers slowed several times, but heavy downpours followed after workers tried to dry the Gladeville, Tenn., track.
The teams will have to shuffle their strategies for today’s daytime race. The event was scheduled to be contested in cooler night temperatures but will likely be held in blistering midday heat on the only concrete oval of the series’ 17-race schedule.
Scott Dixon is slated to start the race from the pole, followed in order by Dario Franchitti, Tony Kanaan and Sam Hornish Jr.
Trucks: Mike Skinner dominated the Built Ford Tough 225 in Sparta, Ky., leading 135 of 150 laps to earn his NASCAR Truck Series-leading fourth victory of the season.
With the victory, Skinner became just the second driver 50 years or older to win a series race and set a record by leading his 13th consecutive race – every race of the season.
He celebrated his 50th birthday two weeks ago.
