NASCAR Sprint Cup Series: AAA 400

Topics:  AAA 400

Kevin Harvick
October 2, 2011

DOVER, DELAWARE

KERRY THARP: Kevin, I know you were up front most of the day, the weather got a little sticky there at times, I'm sure the track conditions changed some, but you're the points leader coming in here and after the third race, so you can't really argue with that, can you.
KEVIN HARVICK: No, not at all. Obviously we circled this one as a place to come to, to overcome some things, and the guys did a good job today. We were just so loose on two tires, which is kind of backwards from what it should be, but we had to put two tires on there at the end to protect the track position side of it. So all in all it was okay.

Q. How have you circled Kansas, because that's not a place you've had a lot of success, either?
KEVIN HARVICK: You must look at a different stat sheet than I do. We have run really well there the last few times and I think we should be fine.

Q. Looking for your first win, I guess is what I'm saying.
KEVIN HARVICK: Yeah, if you're looking for wins; you know, right now we are looking for a championship so whatever we have got to do to fight through that is what we'll do. Obviously you need to run good at all of them. You can run bad at any of them to tell you the truth but Kansas has been a place where we have been pretty solid.

Q. Coming into Dover it's usually pretty hot out there, how did it feel with the weather, and the rain through the cautions probably didn't help too much, but as far as temperature goes inside.
KEVIN HARVICK: Yeah, inside the car, obviously cool days are great for us. But I think I would rather have had a hotter day than today, just because I felt like our car was better in practice when temperatures were warmer. It seemed like the groove that I was running in practice really wasn't there for us today because our car was too loose.
So, you know, it was good for inside the car but not great for the handling conditions of our Rheem Chevrolet.

Q. I think 11 points changes during the first 26 races; why does it seem like more this year than maybe in the past?
KEVIN HARVICK: I think the competition level is so even. I don't think you're going to see anybody come in here and dominate like you have before, as far as just taking off and running away. You're going to be consistent and solid and it's just a matter of keeping yourself in it until you get to the last couple of races and if you can keep yourself in contention, hopefully you've eliminated most of the other guys in the Chase.

Q. The new points system this year, do you think that plays a factor in how you look at the competition, seeing, wow, they are only two back or five back or the Top-5 or ten back or something like?
KEVIN HARVICK: It's definitely easier to add up.
I think the points system definitely has changed the complexion of having a bad day. I think when you have a bad day, it hurts you worse than it had in the past. Maybe it just seems that way, but it also seems like if you can win some races, you can make up ground fairly quick and get up front and get the bonus points and the things you need to do.
A lot of those guys that were pretty far back, that everybody thought were pretty far back had a pretty great day today and won't seem that far back anymore. You just have to take it one week at a time and I would much rather be sitting on top of the points three weeks in than sitting 12th. So we'll just keep at it.
KERRY THARP: Only 15 points separate the top eight; 15 points separate the top eight drivers.

Q. Did anything surprise you from the way this race went, the other competitors, Jimmy being strong, Carl being up there; did anything surprise you today?
KEVIN HARVICK: You look at this racetrack, obviously the 48 has had a lot of success here and the 18 has had success and the 99 has had success. So it's been a good racetrack for those guys, and obviously not a super strong racetrack for us. But we felt like we had been solid over the last couple of years not to win the race but solid enough to get decent finishes and get out of here.
KERRY THARP: Thank you so much and congratulations on taking over the points lead and we'll see you at Kansas. Thank you.