Saturday, February 24, 2001
Rookie takes over Earnhardt's car
The Associated Press
ROCKINGHAM, N.C. — Kevin Harvick was promoted Friday to fill Dale Earnhardt's spot in the Winston Cup Series.
But the 25-year-old Busch Series driver wants it known he could never really replace Earnhardt, the seven-time Winston Cup champion who was killed Sunday in the Daytona 500.
“I'd like to say one thing,” Harvick said, pointing out into a crowd of reporters. “Dale Earnhardt is probably the best race car driver that ever came through NASCAR — I hope you guys don't expect me to replace him because no one ever will.”
Harvick, a baby-faced blond from Bakersfield, Calif., was the Busch Series' Rookie of the Year last season while driving for Richard Childress Racing.
Just last week, Childress said he planned to put Harvick on the fast-track.
Praising him for his “cool, aggressive style” Childress said he would enter Harvick in seven Cup races this year and let him run a full season in 2002 as a teammate to Earnhardt and Mike Skinner.
Now, everything has been moved up even further and Harvick has to take over for The Man in Black.
“Kevin is a good race car driver and Dale thought so, too,” Childress said. “He was going to get a Winston Cup car, but it happened a lot sooner than any of us expected and it isn't the way Kevin wanted to get into a car.”
Although it's Earnhardt's car and Earnhardt's team, Childress has stripped everything down to remove any reminders of The Intimidator.
Harvick's car will be white — instead of Earnhardt's trademark black — and his number will be 29 instead of 3. GM Goodwrench remains the sponsor, but that's the only similarity.
NASCAR doesn't retire car numbers, but allowed Childress to put a one-year moratorium on the No. 3. He said he'll have a difficult time ever using the number again.
If he ever uses the number again, Childress said it would not be on a black car.
Harvick, meanwhile, is trying to settle in for what will be a very hectic season. He's scheduled to get married in Las Vegas next Wednesday while out there racing.
And Childress intends to have Harvick fulfill his commitment to his Busch team by competing in as many races as possible while running a full Winston Cup schedule.
IRL: Indy Racing League champion Buddy Lazier feels as good as ever five years after a career-threatening back injury.
Lazier broke his back in almost 40 places in a crash in 1996, but came back to win the Indianapolis 500 later that season. He still walks with a slight limp.
Lazier and 11 other IRL drivers roared around the 1 1/2-mile oval at Homestead-Miami Speedway, nearing speeds of 200 mph on the first day of open testing in the heat and humidity.
The IRL races April 8 at Homestead.
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