Harvick looking to build on title

Associated Press

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla.

Kevin Harvick opened last season determined to immediately show the strength and speed of his new race team.

It was abundantly clear that the new Stewart-Haas Racing team was one of the best in the garage, and Harvick closed the year with his first career Cup championship.

As he embarks on his sophomore season, Harvick doesn’t plan on letting up.

“You always re-establish new goals,” he said. “I think as you come into this year knowing that you can do the things that we did last year, that’s very rewarding. But it’s also a great confidence builder for our race team and our guys. We know we can win races.”

First on Harvick’s to-do list? Winning the Daytona 500, of course.

Harvick won NASCAR’s most prestigious race in 2007 when he drove for Richard Childress Racing, the team he left at the end of 2013 to join good friend Tony Stewart at SHR. Stewart had promised Harvick that he could a win a championship if he moved to SHR, and Harvick made the leap of faith in his quest for that elusive first title.

He won five races last season, including the Nov. 16 finale to clinch the championship. But he wants crew chief Rodney Childers and his SHR team to experience the thrill of a victory in “The Great American Race.”

“I know what it’s like to have won this race and the experience that comes with it,” he said. “I would love to be a part of winning this race with this group of guys and the things that come with it.”

Harvick will get a chance to see what Childers has prepared for Daytona International Speedway tonight in the exhibition Sprint Unlimited race. The season-opening Daytona 500 is Feb. 22, and teams have the next 10 days to prepare for the big event.

TONY Stewart gets flagged for weighty issue

Tony Stewart opened Speedweeks with a weighty — and heated — issue.

Stewart was visibly upset Friday as he stormed through the garage after getting black flagged for failing to step on a scale before getting behind the wheel.

Stewart was one of 25 drivers practicing for Saturday night’s exhibition Sprint Unlimited, but one of just a few who didn’t weigh in before the session started.

NASCAR flagged Stewart, ordering him back to the garage area to get weighed. But he refused, and when he did finally park his car after his practice run ended, Stewart and crew chief Chad Johnston were called to the NASCAR hauler for what likely was a stern lecture about following the rules.

They emerged about 10 minutes later, and Stewart headed straight for the scale.