CUP: Harvick Sidesteps Questions About Hamlin Contact

Sprint Cup

CUP: Harvick Sidesteps Questions About Hamlin Contact

Kevin Harvick and Denny Hamlin got into it on and off the track at Dover International Speedway...

Bob Pockrass | http://www.scenedaily.com | Posted September 25, 2010 Dover, DE

Denny Hamlin (Left) yells at Kevin Harvick (Right) in the garage after an incident on track during practice for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series AAA 400. (Photo: Getty Images)

Kevin Harvick apparently had a fire in his head during Sprint Cup practice Saturday and then fire in his car during the Nationwide Series race at Dover International Speedway.

After the long day, he said that things turned out well.

Harvick sidestepped questions Saturday night about what happened with Denny Hamlin but didn’t dispute that his contact with the Cup points leader and the shouting match that followed during the first practice Saturday was in response to Hamlin’s critical comments of Richard Childress Racing a day earlier.

“We’re a tight bunch [at RCR],” Harvick said. “It’s always been that way.”

When asked if his contact was in retaliation and whether he had a problem with what Hamlin said about RCR building an illegal car for Clint Bowyer to win at New Hampshire and Bowyer’s 150-point penalty and crew chief suspension were justified, Harvick replied “I don’t know” to both questions.

Harvick will start the AAA 400 on Sunday from the 33rd spot. Although he didn’t qualify well, Harvick said he had a good car, even after the damage suffered to the left front from the contact with Hamlin.

“My Cup car is awesome,” said Harvick, who is second in the Cup standings and is 45 points behind Hamlin. “It was fast.”

The same was true of his Nationwide car, which he drove in the top five for much of the day until he thought he had a fire in his car just past the midway point.

“The air conditioner caught on fire, and I thought surely the flames were next,” Harvick said. “It filled the whole cockpit up with smoke. I had the window net down and I was getting out and the caution came out and it just went away and stopped working.”

Harvick rallied for a fifth-place finish.

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