Race Recap:2009 Bud Shootout at Daytona

Harvick Takes Win With Last-Lap Pass

Harvick Celebrates In Victory Lane At Daytona

Kevin Harvick used a thrilling last-lap pass to steal a Daytona 500 victory.

He's apparently got the move mastered.

Harvick powered past Jamie McMurray on the outside of the last lap Saturday night to complete a come-from-nowhere victory in the exhibition Budweiser Shootout.

"That was some wild racing," he said from Victory Lane. "What a race. That was wild as heck there at the end."

Wild indeed.

 

 

It was Harvick's first victory in 71 races, dating to the All-Star race in May 2007. The only other event he won that year was the season-opening 500, when he nipped Mark Martin in a photo finish. Harvick was winless in 2008.

Now he's got the momentum heading into next weekend's Daytona 500.

He started 23rd in the Shootout, spent most of the race in the back dodging wrecks, then slowly worked his way up toward the front. McMurray seemed headed for the win until a late wreck between Greg Biffle and David Stremme set up a two-lap overtime sprint to the finish.

Harvick was in fourth on the restart, and didn't seem to have anything for McMurray.

But as they closed in on the finish line, he used a huge push from Denny Hamlin to slide past McMurray on the outside.

"It will be a long night," McMurray said. "I'll think about what maybe I should have done different."

Harvick coasted to the win as Hamlin, Jimmie Johnson and Kyle Busch all crashed behind him.

McMurray finished second and Tony Stewart was third.

Here is the final standings for the 2009 Budweiser Shootout at Daytona (start position in parentheses):

1. (27) Kevin Harvick, Chevrolet, 78 laps, 70.9 rating, $200,000.

2. (15) Jamie McMurray, Ford, 78, 102.9, $100,000.

3. (6) Tony Stewart, Chevrolet, 78, 92.3, $60,000.

4. (28) Jeff Gordon, Chevrolet, 78, 95.4, $51,000.

5. (18) A.J. Allmendinger, Dodge, 78, 79.3, $50,000.

6. (14) Kasey Kahne, Dodge, 78, 102.6, $49,000.

7. (11) Carl Edwards, Ford, 78, 114.8, $47,000.

8. (25) Matt Kenseth, Ford, 78, 75.9, $45,000.

9. (12) Kurt Busch, Dodge, 78, 74.8, $43,000.

10. (10) Kyle Busch, Toyota, 78, 95.6, $41,500.

11. (7) Brian Vickers, Toyota, 78, 86.6, $41,000.

12. (1) Paul Menard, Ford, 78, 50.9, $40,500.

13. (5) Denny Hamlin, Toyota, 78, 92.1, $40,000.

14. (21) Jimmie Johnson, Chevrolet, accident, 77, 96.9, $38,500.

15. (24) Casey Mears, Chevrolet, accident, 77, 55.3, $38,000.

16. (20) David Stremme, Dodge, accident, 73, 57.7, $37,000.

17. (26) Greg Biffle, Ford, accident, 72, 51.7, $35,000.

18. (9) Dale Earnhardt Jr., Chevrolet, accident, 64, 110.6, $33,000.

19. (8) Bobby Labonte, Ford, accident, 63, 51.5, $30,000.

20. (22) David Reutimann, Toyota, accident, 56, 48.5, $28,000.

21. (2) Elliott Sadler, Dodge, accident, 54, 56.5, $26,000.

22. (17) Michael Waltrip, Toyota, accident, 43, 46.1, $25,000.

23. (3) Reed Sorenson, Dodge, engine, 36, 51.8, $23,500.

24. (23) Jeff Burton, Chevrolet, accident, 32, 33, $21,000.

25. (4) Scott Speed, Toyota, accident, 4, 35.6, $20,000.

26. (16) David Ragan, Ford, accident, 3, 40.1, $19,000.

27. (13) Robby Gordon, Dodge, accident, 3, 36.4, $18,000.

28. (19) Joey Logano, Toyota, accident, 3, 32.9, $17,154.

***

Race Statistics

Average Speed of race winner: 127.243 mph.

Time of race: 1 hour, 31 minutes, 57 seconds.

Margin of victory: Under caution.

Caution flags: Eight for 23 laps.

Lead changes: 23 among 14 drivers.

Lap leaders: P.Menard 1-2; D.Hamlin 3; D.Earnhardt Jr. 4-10; E.Sadler 11-12; T.Stewart 13-16; C.Edwards 17-25; J.McMurray 26; K.Kahne 27-28; J.McMurray 29; J.Gordon 30; J.McMurray 31-32; D.Hamlin 33-35; Ky.Busch 36-40; D.Earnhardt Jr. 41-49; M.Kenseth 50; D.Earnhardt Jr. 51-56; C.Edwards 57-58; Ky.Busch 59; D.Earnhardt Jr. 60; J.Gordon 61; J.Johnson 62-63; B.Vickers 64-65; J.McMurray 66-77; K.Harvick 78.

Leaders summary (Driver, Times led, Laps led): D.Earnhardt Jr., 4 times for 23 laps; J.McMurray, 4 times for 16 laps; C.Edwards, 2 times for 11 laps; Ky.Busch, 2 times for 6 laps; T.Stewart, 1 time for 4 laps; D.Hamlin, 2 times for 4 laps; J.Gordon, 2 times for 2 laps; K.Kahne, 1 time for 2 laps; B.Vickers, 1 time for 2 laps; P.Menard, 1 time for 2 laps; J.Johnson, 1 time for 2 laps; E.Sadler, 1 time for 2 laps; K.Harvick, 1 time for 1 lap; M.Kenseth, 1 time for 1 lap.

This was one of the most exciting Bud Shootout’s I can remember. I can’t wait to see what happens during the Daytona 500!