Date: May 4, 2014
Event: Aaron’s 499 (Round 10 of 36)
Series: NASCAR Sprint Cup Series
Location: Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway (2.66-mile oval)
Winner: Denny Hamlin of Joe Gibbs Racing (Toyota)
SHR Finish:
Kevin Harvick (Started 8th, Finished 7th / Running, completed 188 of 188 laps)
Danica Patrick (Started 7th, Finished 22nd / Running, completed 188 of 188 laps)
Kurt Busch (Started 9th, Finished 33rd / Accident, completed 174 of 188 laps)
Tony Stewart (Started 12th, Finished 43rd / Accident, completed 136 of 188 laps)
SHR Points:
Kevin Harvick (19th with 258 points, 89 out of first)
Tony Stewart (21st with 244 points, 103 out of first)
Kurt Busch (27th with 196 points, 151 out of first)
Danica Patrick (29th with 176 points, 171 out of first)
Kevin Harvick, driver of the No. 4 Jimmy John’s Chevrolet SS, led the four-car Stewart-Haas Racing (SHR) contingent Sunday at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway by finishing seventh in the Aaron’s 499 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race.
Harvick started eighth and led three times for 15 laps en route to his 11th top-10 in 27 career Sprint Cup starts at Talladega. It was his fourth top-10 this season and his 213th top-10 in 476 career Sprint Cup starts.
Danica Patrick, driver of the No. 10 GoDaddy Chevrolet SS for SHR, started seventh and finished 22nd. Patrick led twice for six laps in her 56th career Sprint Cup start and her third at Talladega.
Kurt Busch, driver of the No. 41 Haas Automation Chevrolet SS for SHR, started ninth and finished 33rd after being caught up in a multicar crash on lap 175 that collected eight drivers. Busch was unhurt, but his car was too damaged to continue.
Tony Stewart, driver of the No. 14 Bass Pro Shops/Tracker Boats Chevrolet SS for SHR, started 12th and finished 43rd after getting caught up in a multicar accident on lap 136 that collected 14 drivers. Stewart was unhurt, but his car was too damaged to continue.
Denny Hamlin won the Aaron’s 499 to score his 24th career Sprint Cup victory in his 300th start. It was his first win of the season and his first at Talladega.
Greg Biffle finished behind Hamlin in the runner-up spot, while Clint Bowyer, Brian Vickers and A.J. Allmendinger rounded out the top-five. Paul Menard, Harvick, Kasey Kahne, Kyle Larson and Ricky Stenhouse Jr., comprised the remainder of the top-10.
There were eight caution periods for 31 laps, with 12 drivers failing to finish the 188-lap race, which ended under caution.
With round 10 of 36 complete, Harvick leads the SHR contingent in the championship point standings. He is 19th with 258 points, 89 behind first-place Jeff Gordon. Stewart is 21st with 244 points, 103 out of first. Busch is 27th with 196 points, 151 out of first. Patrick is 29th with 176 points, 171 out of first.
The next event on the Sprint Cup schedule is the 5-hour Energy 400 on Saturday, May 10 at Kansas Speedway in Kansas City. The race starts at 7:30 p.m. EDT, with live coverage provided by FOX beginning with its prerace show at 7 p.m.
