Kevin Harvick, shut out of victory lane during an extensive NASCAR Craftman Truck Series career, held off Ted Musgrave's final turn charge to win Saturday's Chevy Silverado 150 at Phoenix International Raceway.
Harvick, driving his own unsponsored Chevrolet, took the lead from Bud Pole starter Rick Crawford on the 76th lap and led the rest of the way -- most of it with Musgrave's Mopar Performance Dodge on his tailgate. The race's third and final caution on lap 148 produced a two-lap, shootout finish, fiving Musgrave the opportunity to make one final charge. Musgrave bumped Harvick in Turn 4, pulled inside the leader's truck but fell about three feet -- 0.022 second -- short at the checkered flag. Harvick's first series victory came in his 75th start. He won $41,015 in setting a race record average speed of 108.014 mph. Crawford finished third and cut a 68-point championship deficit to 32 behind Mike Bliss entering next week's Ford 200 finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Musgrave also remains in the hunt, 71 behind Bliss, who limped to a 10th-place finish after dropping a cylinder. Travis Kvapil and Terry Cook completed the top five finishers.
The results:
1. (3) Kevin Harvick, Chevrolet, 152, $41,015
2. (14) Ted Musgrave, Dodge, 152, $27,260
3. (1) Rick Crawford, Ford, 152, $23,550
4. (17) Travis Kvapil, Chevrolet, 152, $13,025
5. (4) Terry Cook, Ford, 152, $12,025
6. (28) Coy Gibbs, Chevrolet, 152, $12,075
7. (15) Ken Schrader, Chevrolet, 152, $8,275
8. (11) Dennis Setzer, Chevrolet, 152, $10,475
9. (9) Matt Crafton, Chevrolet, 152, $10,425
10. (5) Mike Bliss, Chevrolet, 152, $11,650
11. (16) Jon Wood, Ford, 151, $10,175
12. (13) Bobby Dotter, Chevrolet, 151, $10,040
13. (23) Brendan Gaughan, Dodge, 151, $10,990
14. (10) Robert Pressley, Dodge, 151, $9,940
15. (2) Bill Lester, Dodge, 151, $10,140
16. (7) Jason Leffler, Dodge, 151, $9,840
17. (19) Andy Houston, Ford, 151, $9,790
18. (8) David Starr, Chevrolet, 151, $9,740
19. (26) Carlos Contreras, Dodge, 150, $9,690
20. (31) Randy MacDonald, Chevrolet, 149, $9,865
21. (30) Mike Cofer, Ford, 149, $7,315
22. (22) Steve Portenga, Chevrolet, 148, $8,265
23. (27) Brian Rose, Dodge, 148, $7,165
24. (21) Stan Boyd, Chevrolet, 147, $7,065
25. (33) Jerry Hill, Dodge, 146, $7,965
26. (20) Ryan Hemphill, Dodge, 144, accident, $6,865
27. (34) Blake Mallory, Chevrolet, 143, $6,765
28. (18) Lance Norick, Chevrolet, 129, $6,665
29. (24) Jason Small, Chevrolet, 122, $6,565
30. (12) Regan Smith, Ford, 117, ignition, $6,465
31. (32) Cory Kruseman, Chevrolet, 109, engine, $6,430
32. (6) Stacy Compton, Dodge, 70, ignition, $6,415
33. (25) Morgan Shepherd, Ford, 38, handling, $6,390
34. (35) Phil Bonifield, Chevrolet, 10, ignition, $6,365
35. (36) Eric Jones, Chevrolet, 3, brakes, $6,340
36. (29) Lance Hooper, Chevrolet, 2, engine, $6,315
Race Statistics
Time of race: 1 hour 24 minutes 26 seconds (record)
Average speed: 108.014 mph
Margin of victory: .022 second
Caution flags: 3 for 14 laps (25-28, 69-75, 148-150)
Lead changes: 3 among 3 drivers
Lap leaders: Crawford 1-71, Pressley 72-73, Crawford 74-75, Harvick 76-152
NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Points Standings (unofficial) - 1. Bliss 3,199; 2. Crawford 3,167; 3. Musgrave 3,128; 4. Starr 2,997; 5. Leffler 2,991; 6. Setzer 2,982; 7. Pressley 2,937; 8. Cook 2,936; 9. Kvapil 2,916; 10. Gibbs 2,883.
