Harvick wins 3rd Straight Fall Texas Race, clinching a spot in the final round of “The Chase” (11-3-19)

By: Becca Cottingham

Headline Photo Courtesy: Speedway Digest

Our first race after the change in time we are in Texas where everything is bigger. Our first issue is Chase Elliott getting into the wall after getting loose. Once we got back to green we quickly had another caution due to part of a sign fell from one of the turns. The drivers are talking about the compound and how the track will change as we go into the evening. The track is slick and has collected Corey LaJoie now as well to bring out a third caution. With this caution we saw multiple drivers stay out to get up front. While drivers like Kevin Harvick pitted and is making moves back to the front from eighth. Ricky Stenhouse Jr. into the wall and Brad Keselowski also got loose as well into the wall. Both cars are destroyed. The traction compound is causing multiple teams trouble. After a repair to Corey LaJoie car he came back out and lost the car again. We also have multiple different pit strategies happening. Denny Hamlin then lost it and caused some significant damage to his car. Kevin Harvick was able to make moves and get a stage one win.

Stage two started with teammates at Hendrick’s Motorsports battling it out for the lead. Jimmie Johnson and Alex Bowman battled hard and Jimmie fell to second. However, within two laps he was back battling for the lead with teammate but Johnson got a nice push from Aric Almirola got him the lead. Jimmie Johnson lead multiple laps in stage two with what has been a strong performance for him. Green flag pit stops changed some things around and Kyle Busch has the lead. He came in for more fuel and Aric Almirola got the stage two win.

Daniel Suarez was able to win the battle off of pit road and take the lead in stage three. He was extending his lead until Jimmie Johnson got loose and spun. He got some damage on the right side. Then Kevin Harvick got hit with an equipment penalty. On the restart David Regan and Garrett Smithley got into each other in turn two. Aric Almirola then fought his way to lead some great laps. While Kevin Harvick bounced back from his penalty for a tire on the wall that did not get changed. Then Bubba Wallace spun and hit the wall after a left tire went down. We get a huge restart with all kinda of action happening. Kevin Harvick’s car has come alive even after the penalty. Daniel Suarez and Kyle Busch raced hard against each other. Currently with under thirty laps to go we are having green flag pit stops. Most are taking fuel only. Kyle Busch had a car stall and will cause him to leave him multiple spots behind. Kevin Harvick was able to keep the lead and punch his ticket to Homestead-Miami.