Rubbing with Carl Edwards to the checkered flag Keven Harvick won the 12th Annual Good Sam 500 at Phoenix International Raceway

during the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Good Sam 500 at Phoenix International Raceway on March 13, 2016 in Avondale, Arizona.

Credit: 318000Photo by Jonathan Ferrey/NASCAR via Getty Images

Kevin Harvick, driver of the #4 Jimmy John’s Chevrolet, beats Carl Edwards, driver of the #19 Stanley Toyota, to the checkered flag to win the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Good Sam 500 at Phoenix International Raceway on March 13, 2016 in Avondale, Arizona.

Starting from 18th place Car 4 Kevin Harvick Jimmy John’s Chevrolet won the 12th Annual Good Sam 500, his 32nd win in 542 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races. This is Harvick’s 1st win & 4th Top 10 finish in 2016 & this is his 8th win & 16th Top 10 finish in 27 races at Phoenix International Raceway. Today’s margin of victory (0.010 sec.) is now the closest MOV in series history at Phoenix International Raceway. Previous record was 0.13 sec. in 2010 (won by Ryan Newman over Jeff Gordon). 2nd Place Car 19 Carl Edwards Stanley Toyota, started from 2nd place posted his 13th Top 10 finish in 24 races at Phoenix International Raceway. It is Edwards’ 3rd Top 10 finish in 2016. 3rd Place Car 11 Denny Hamlin FedEx Freight Toyota, started from 3rd place posted his 12th top-10 finish in 22 races at Phoenix International Raceway.

AVONDALE, AZ - MARCH 13: Kevin Harvick, driver of the #4 Jimmy John's Chevrolet, celebrates in Victory Lane after winning the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Good Sam 500 at Phoenix International Raceway on March 13, 2016 in Avondale, Arizona. (Photo by Robert Laberge/NASCAR via Getty Images)

Credit: 318004Photo by Robert Laberge/NASCAR via Getty Images

Kevin Harvick, driver of the #4 Jimmy John’s Chevrolet, celebrates in Victory Lane after winning the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Good Sam 500 at Phoenix International Raceway on March 13, 2016 in Avondale, Arizona.

4th Place Car 18 Kyle Busch Skittles Toyota, started from pole followed by 5th place Car 88 Dale Earnhardt Jr. Axalta Chevrolet, started from 26th place. 6th Place Car 41 Kurt Busch Monster Energy/Haas Automation Chevrolet, started from 4th place followed by 7th place Car 20 Matt Kenseth Dollar General Toyota, started from 6th place. 8th Place Car 24 Chase Elliott # NAPA Auto Parts Chevrolet, started from 17th place was the highest finishing rookie. 9th Place Car 3 Austin Dillon DOW Chevrolet, started from 15th place. Lastly in the Top 10 Car 21 * Ryan Blaney # Motorcraft/Quick Lane Tire & Auto Center Ford, in 10th place, started from 12th place.

AVONDALE, AZ - MARCH 13: Kyle Busch, driver of the #18 Skittles Toyota, leads the field to the green flag to start the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Good Sam 500 at Phoenix International Raceway on March 13, 2016 in Avondale, Arizona. (Photo by Jonathan Ferrey/NASCAR via Getty Images)

Credit: 317992Photo by Jonathan Ferrey/NASCAR via Getty Images

Kyle Busch, driver of the #18 Skittles Toyota, leads the field to the green flag to start the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Good Sam 500 at Phoenix International Raceway on March 13, 2016 in Avondale, Arizona.

The race had 5 Cautions for 30 Laps: 1st Caution on lap 53 for Car 31 Ryan Newman Grainger Chevrolet crash in Turn 3. 2nd Caution on lap 107 for Car 27 Paul Menard Richmond/Menards Chevrolet crash in Turn 3. 3rd Caution on lap 164 for Car 17 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. Fastenal Ford crash in Turn 1. 4th Caution on lap 227 for Debris. 5th Caution on lap 308 for Car 5 Kasey Kahne Great Clips Chevrolet
crash in Turn 3.

during the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Good Sam 500 at Phoenix International Raceway on March 13, 2016 in Avondale, Arizona.

Credit: 317994Photo by Chris Trotman/Getty Images

Kyle Busch, driver of the #18 Skittles Toyota, leads the field past the green flag to start the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Good Sam 500 at Phoenix International Raceway on March 13, 2016 in Avondale, Arizona.

The race had 7 Lead Changes among 4 drivers: Lap Leaders: Kyle Busch 1-74; D. Earnhardt Jr. 75-108; C. Edwards 109-163; Kyle Busch 164; C. Edwards 165-168; K. Harvick 169-228; C. Edwards 229-234; K. Harvick 235-313. Leaders Summary: (Drivers, Times, Laps Led): K. Harvick 2 times for 139 laps; K. Busch 2 times for 75 laps; C. Edwards 3 times for 65 laps; D. Earnhardt Jr. 1 time for 34 laps.

AVONDALE, AZ - MARCH 13: Cars pit during the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Good Sam 500 at Phoenix International Raceway on March 13, 2016 in Avondale, Arizona. (Photo by Chris Trotman/Getty Images)

Credit: 317995Photo by Chris Trotman/Getty Images

Cars pit during the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Good Sam 500 at Phoenix International Raceway on March 13, 2016 in Avondale, Arizona.

Chase Grid Outlook: 1. K. Harvick 154 (1 wins);2. J. Johnson 140 (1);3. D. Hamlin 131 (1);4. B. Keselowski 110 (1);5. Kyle Busch 154 (0);6. Kurt Busch 137 (0);7. C. Edwards 136 (0);8. J. Logano 127 (0);9. A. Dillon 122 (0);10. M. Truex Jr. 117 (0);11. D. Earnhardt Jr. 115 (0);12.*. Blaney # 104 (0);13. A. Almirola 100 (0);14. K. Kahne 96 (0);15. J. McMurray 94 (0);16. M. Kenseth 90 (0).

AVONDALE, AZ - MARCH 13: Kevin Harvick, driver of the #4 Jimmy John's Chevrolet, celebrates after winning the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Good Sam 500 at Phoenix International Raceway on March 13, 2016 in Avondale, Arizona. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)

Credit: 318003Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images

Kevin Harvick, driver of the #4 Jimmy John’s Chevrolet, celebrates after winning the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Good Sam 500 at Phoenix International Raceway on March 13, 2016 in Avondale, Arizona.

The most exciting part of the race was under the white flag as Harvick & Edwards were banging fenders side-by side to the finish line.

“Well, I knew he was better through (Turns) 3 and 4,” Harvick said of Edwards. “That was not the car that I wanted to see behind me. I knew I could beat him down there, and I tried to protect the bottom in (Turns) 3 and 4 and I just missed the bottom with all the rubber build-up on the tires and everything. “But, all in all, I knew I was going to be on defense down there. I got up too high and wasn’t able to stay on the bottom like I wanted to, and then he got into me, like he should have, and I needed to get a good run off the corner, and I was going to have to get into his door and it worked out—just barely.”

“We made him work for it,” Edwards said. “That’s more than we’ve been able to do here the last few times. Just a lot of fun. I really wish it would have worked out a little bit differently, but it’s a good race. “I ran into him about as hard as I thought I could without wrecking him, and it ended up being a drag race. It was kind of fun coming to the line because I thought, man, I got him, and then he doored me real hard and then he got a little run, and then I tried to door him and slow him down, but it just didn’t work.”

Harvick held off Edwards at Phoenix by a matter of inches:
http://www.nascar.com/en_us/news-media/franchises/all-videos.sprint-cup-series-final-laps-phoenix-international-raceway-harvick-wins-in-closest-phoenix-finish.4799589951001.html

A pit lane mistake cost pole winner Car 18 Kyle Busch Skittles Toyota many positions but was still able to come back to a 4th place finish.

Due to Jimmie Johnson crash all the teams were double-checking their steering wheels for the start of the race.

during the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Good Sam 500 at Phoenix International Raceway on March 13, 2016 in Avondale, Arizona.

Credit: 317993Photo by Chris Trotman/Getty Images

Jimmie Johnson, driver of the #48 Lowe’s Pro Services Chevrolet, leads a pack of cars during the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Good Sam 500 at Phoenix International Raceway on March 13, 2016 in Avondale, Arizona.

2016 Mar 10 316530

NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Race Number 4
Unofficial Race Results for the 12Th Annual Good Sam 500 – Sunday, March 13, 2016
Phoenix International Raceway – Avondale, AZ – 1 Mile Paved Total Race Length – 313 Laps – 313 Miles

2016 Mar 10 316528

Finish Start Car Driver Team Laps Status
1. 18. Car 4 Kevin Harvick Jimmy John’s Chevrolet 313 Running
2. 2. Car 19 Carl Edwards Stanley Toyota 313 Running
3. 3. Car 11 Denny Hamlin FedEx Freight Toyota 313 Running
4. 1. Car 18 Kyle Busch Skittles Toyota 313 Running
5. 26. Car 88 Dale Earnhardt Jr. Axalta Chevrolet 313 Running
6. 4. Car 41 Kurt Busch Monster Energy/Haas Automation Chevrolet 313 Running
7. 6. Car 20 Matt Kenseth Dollar General Toyota 313 Running
8. 17. Car 24 Chase Elliott # NAPA Auto Parts Chevrolet 313 Running
9. 15. Car 3 Austin Dillon DOW Chevrolet 313 Running
10. 12. Car 21 * Ryan Blaney # Motorcraft/Quick Lane Tire & Auto Center Ford 313 Running
11. 5. Car 48 Jimmie Johnson Lowe’s Pro Services Chevrolet 313 Running
12. 7. Car 42 Kyle Larson Target Chevrolet 313 Running
13. 14. Car 43 Aric Almirola Smithfield Ford 313 Running
14. 8. Car 78 Martin Truex Jr. Bass Pro Shops/Tracker Boats Toyota 313 Running
15. 28. Car 14 Ty Dillon(i) Bass Pro Shops/Tracker Boats Chevrolet 313 Running
16. 11. Car 1 Jamie McMurray McDonald’s Chevrolet 313 Running
17. 22. Car 47 AJ Allmendinger Fry’s/Scott Products Chevrolet 313 Running
18. 9. Car 22 Joey Logano Pennzoil Ford 312 Running
19. 36. Car 10 Danica Patrick Nature’s Bakery Chevrolet 312 Running
20. 23. Car 83 Matt DiBenedetto Schluter Systems Toyota 312 Running
21. 13. Car 16 Greg Biffle Cheez-It Ford 312 Running
22. 24. Car 5 Kasey Kahne Great Clips Chevrolet 312 Running
23. 21. Car 6 Trevor Bayne AdvoCare Ford 311 Running
24. 29. Car 23 David Ragan Dr Pepper Toyota 309 Running
25. 27. Car 38 Landon Cassill Snap Fitness Ford 308 Running
26. 33. Car 95 Michael McDowell Thrivent Financial Chevrolet 308 Running
27. 30. Car 44 Brian Scott # Albertson’s Co/White Tail Ford 308 Running
28. 31. Car 7 Regan Smith APC Chevrolet 308 Running
29. 19. Car 2 Brad Keselowski Alliance Truck Parts Ford 307 Running
30. 32. Car 34 Chris Buescher # Dockside Logistics Ford 307 Running
31. 35. Car 15 Clint Bowyer 5-hour Energy Chevrolet 307 Running
32. 39. Car 32 Joey Gase(i) Donate Life America Ford 305 Running
33. 38. Car 46 Michael Annett Pilot Flying J Chevrolet 303 Running
34. 37. Car 30 * Josh Wise Curtis Key Plumbing Chevrolet 303 Running
35. 25. Car 13 Casey Mears GEICO Chevrolet 268 Running
36. 34. Car 98 * Cole Whitt Chevrolet 236 Overheating
37. 10. Car 17 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. Fastenal Ford 161 Accident
38. 16. Car 27 Paul Menard Richmond/Menards Chevrolet 104 Accident
39. 20. Car 31 Ryan Newman Grainger Chevrolet 51 Accident

Race Comments: Prior to the start of the race, the following cars dropped to the rear of the field: No. 5 (engine change); Nos. 46 and 48 (Backup car). Failed to Qualify: N/A. Time of Race:2 Hrs, 45 Mins, 53 Secs. Average Speed: 113.212 MPH. Margin of Victory: 0.010 Seconds.

American Ethanol Green Flag Restart Award: Kyle Busch, #18. Coors Light Pole Award: Kyle Busch, #18 138.387 mph. Duralast Brakes “Brake in the Race”: Kyle Busch, #18. Ingersoll Rand Power Move: Kyle Larson, #42 6 positions. Mahle Clevite Engine Builder of the Race: Hendrick Engines, #4. Mobil 1 Driver of the Race: Kevin Harvick, #4. Moog Chassis Parts Problem Solver of the Race: Kevin Harvick, #4 crew chief Rodney Childers, 0.022 seconds. Sherwin-Williams Fastest Lap: Kyle Busch, #18. Sunoco Rookie of the Race: Chase Elliott, #24

(i) Ineligible for driver points in this series

Next Race: Mar. 20, 2016 – Auto Club Speedway

NASCAR Integrated Marketing Communications @ P.O. Box 2875, Daytona Beach, FL 32120-2875

http://www.nascar.com/en_us/sprint-cup-series.html

Graphics & Photos Courtesy of NASCAR

Leave a Reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.