Kevin Harvick revealed at Indianapolis Motor Speedway prior to the Verizon 200 at The Brickyard that he raced for six weeks with broken ribs after the June break.
“I fell down a flight of steps in Italy,” says Harvick, whose son Keelan is racing karts in Europe. “I had a stack of busted ribs.”
During the first three of those six weeks, Harvick’s best finish was 24th at Nashville. In the second half of that period, Harvick had two fourth-place finishes and a 10th.
Harvick, who plans to retire from full-time Cup competition after this season, came into this weekend’s race at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course without a victory, but leading the points among non-qualified drivers for the Playoffs.
Julia Piquet’s Emotional Meeting, 31 Years Later
Throughout Julia Piquet’s life the daughter of three-time Formula 1 champion Nelson Piquet has listened to her father’s stories about how renowned orthopedic surgeon Dr. Terry Trammell saved his legs.
The year was 1992 and the elder Piquet was practicing for the Indianapolis 500. He had posted a 228.571-mph lap, the fifth fastest of the day, just before he lost control of his Lola-Buick. Piquet’s car spun as it slid 400 feet before slamming head-on into the wall exiting the fourth turn. The car’s rear end lifted before it spun away from the wall and skidded another 760 feet before coasting to a stop near the pit road entrance.
Piquet, who suffered a concussion, was airlifted to Methodist Hospital where Trammell immediately began surgery on his lower legs and feet that had multiple fractures. Piquet entered the operating room between 4:30 and 5 p.m. and hospital officials expected him to remain in surgery until after midnight.
Twelve hours after Piquet’s accident, Julia was born. Two days before this year’s Verizon 200 at The Brickyard, she got to meet the doctor who saved her father’s legs.
“I always love meeting new people, but it was a very special moment for Julia, and I was able to enjoy her excitement,” Daniel Suarez said about his fiancé.”
Chase Briscoe, left, has leaned on Kevin Harvick for as a resource this season.
Briscoe Turns to Harvick
Chase Briscoe says he knows he has only 13 weeks left in which he can use Stewart-Haas Racing teammate Kevin Harvick as a resource, and he is attempting to maximize that time.
“These past two or three weeks, I’ve been going to the simulator two hours early and watching him, asking him questions at the end, and milk it as much as I can for as long as I can,” Briscoe says. “Truthfully, I haven’t done a very good job once I got to the Cup Series of using Kevin.”
While competing in NASCAR’s Xfinity Series, Briscoe says he relied on Harvick a great deal, but he stopped when he moved into the Cup Series.
“These last couple of weeks, especially with how much I’ve been struggling here lately, I’ve been trying to get back to using him by asking him more questions.
“For me not to use him week-in and week-out like I have these last couple of weeks has been ignorant on my part. Kind of kicking myself for not doing that.”
Jenson Button, left, chats with Mike Rockenfeller at ahead of this weekend’s Verizon 200 at the Brickyard.
Jenson Button to Young Keelan Harvick: “Maybe Father Knows Best”
Prior to competing in the Verizon 200 at The Brickyard, Formula 1 champion Jenson Button spent time discussing racing with Keelan Harvick, son of NASCAR Cup champion Kevin Harvick.
“He’s a very grown-up 11-year-old,” Button says about the youngster who has been racing in Europe. “I think he struggles to maybe listen to his dad. When you’re that close to someone sometimes it doesn’t work.”
Button believes the closeness is what causes “some disruption.” However, Button says he told Keelan to trust his father because he is the person that knows best.
“I remember learning from my dad as a young kid, and you’ll regret it if you don’t take his information on-board,” Button told Keelan. “At least, listen to his comments.”
Button says it was an emotional time for him because his father is the reason he is in his current position.
“I have kids as well, so I think that also made it a little bit emotional for me, talking to him about his career and where he wants to go,” Button says.
Brodie Kostecki and Richard Childress took on the Brickyard Sunday, but not before Kostecki hit the simulator for a little schooling.
Simulation Surprises Kostecki
Brodie Kostecki, the points leader in the Supercars Series in Australia and who finished 22nd in his Cup Series debut for Richard Childress Racing on Sunday, says simulation isn’t used in Australia. That’s why when he went to the new General Motors Tech Center in Concord, North Carolina, he was “pretty amazed” at the amount of technology in the new facility.
“It really helped my learning curve, trying to understand the car, the track as well,” Kostecki says.
Indianapolis Motor Speedway president Doug Boles, right, says that any NASCAR Cup Series return to the IMS oval may hinge on how the current generation Cup cars perform in an upcoming tire test session.
Indy Track Rotation Possible
Indianapolis Motor Speedway president Doug Boles says there is a possibility that the NASCAR Cup Series Brickyard race my rotate between the oval and road course.
Boles talked briefly with fans about the possible rotation Sunday morning before the unveiling of Kyle Larson’s Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet and the Arrow McLaren Indy Car he will drive next year when he does the Indianapolis 500/Coca-Cola 600 double. Boles comments to fans came two days after he broached the subject on the SIRIUSXM NASCAR radio show “The Morning Drive.”
The decision on whether to return the Cup cars to the oval will be made after the upcoming Goodyear tire test. The current Cup car has never raced on Indy’s 2.5-mile oval.
Sunday’s results
NASCAR Cup Series Race – Verizon 200 at the Brickyard
Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course
1. (4) Michael McDowell, Ford, 82.
2. (3) Chase Elliott, Chevrolet, 82.
3. (1) Daniel Suárez, Chevrolet, 82.
4. (2) Tyler Reddick, Toyota, 82.
5. (9) Alex Bowman, Chevrolet, 82.
6. (13) Chase Briscoe, Ford, 82.
7. (12) Martin Truex Jr., Toyota, 82.
8. (6) Kyle Larson, Chevrolet, 82.
9. (7) Christopher Bell, Toyota, 82.
10. (8) Shane Van Gisbergen(i), Chevrolet, 82.
11. (17) Chris Buescher, Ford, 82.
12. (10) Ty Gibbs #, Toyota, 82.
13. (16) Ryan Blaney, Ford, 82.
14. (39) William Byron, Chevrolet, 82.
15. (20) Austin Cindric, Ford, 82.
16. (27) Austin Dillon, Chevrolet, 82.
17. (21) Ross Chastain, Chevrolet, 82.
18. (19) Bubba Wallace, Toyota, 82.
19. (25) Denny Hamlin, Toyota, 82.
20. (22) Brad Keselowski, Ford, 82.
21. (24) Harrison Burton, Ford, 82.
22. (11) Brodie Kostecki, Chevrolet, 82.
23. (38) Kevin Harvick, Ford, 81.
24. (37) Mike Rockenfeller, Chevrolet, 81.
25. (34) Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Chevrolet, 81.
26. (26) AJ Allmendinger, Chevrolet, 81.
27. (35) Ty Dillon, Chevrolet, 81.
28. (31) Jenson Button, Ford, 81.
29. (14) Corey LaJoie, Chevrolet, 81.
30. (29) Andy Lally, Ford, 81.
31. (30) Ryan Preece, Ford, 81.
32. (32) Josh Bilicki(i), Chevrolet, 81.
33. (28) Kamui Kobayashi(i), Toyota, 81.
34. (18) Joey Logano, Ford, 81.
35. (36) Erik Jones, Chevrolet, 81.
36. (5) Kyle Busch, Chevrolet, 80.
37. (23) Todd Gilliland, Ford, 80.
38. (15) Justin Haley, Chevrolet, 80.
39. (33) Aric Almirola, Ford, 79.
Average Speed of Race Winner: 92.319 mph.
Time of Race: 2 Hrs, 9 Mins, 59 Secs. Margin of Victory: 0.937 Seconds.
Caution Flags: 1 for 3 laps.
Lead Changes: 10 among 7 drivers.
Lap Leaders: D. Suarez 1-5;M. McDowell 6-16;C. Elliott 17;C. Bell 18-26;A. Dillon 27;D. Hamlin 28-35;M. McDowell 36-48;D. Suárez 49;*. Van Gisbergen(i) 50;C. Bell 51-52;M. McDowell 53-82.
Leaders Summary (Driver, Times Lead, Laps Led): Michael McDowell 3 times for 54 laps; Christopher Bell 2 times for 11 laps; Denny Hamlin 1 time for 8 laps; Daniel Suárez 2 times for 6 laps; Austin Dillon 1 time for 1 lap; Chase Elliott 1 time for 1 lap; * Shane Van Gisbergen(i) 1 time for 1 lap.
Stage #1 Top Ten: 34,99,9,45,5,8,20,48,91,19
Stage #2 Top Ten: 11,34,99,6,9,8,45,48,14,5
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