Kevin started on the pole and dominated all day long. He was the leader of the race for 292 of 325 laps of racing.
The race was only slowed by six caution periods that tallied 32 laps in total. Kevin was leader at the conclusion of the first two segments of the race with the new format of racing for this NASCAR season. Those bonus points became very valuable to the #4 Ford when the end of the race played out.
During the race there were many cars that had trouble adjusting to the new timing lines on pit road. There were almost twice the number of timing lines to deal with over last year’s race at Atlanta Motor Speedway. It would be these timing lines that would take the chance to win away from Kevin and give that chance to Brad.
It was on lap 311 that the final caution would be issued. During the pit stops of this yellow flag period, Kevin was caught speeding during his trip to pit road. Kevin was the 13th driver to make this mistake during the race. However his penalty would be more costly than all of the others.
The penalty for speeding on pit road under caution is re-starting the race from the tail-end of the longest line. That moved Kevin from re-starting first to re-starting from the behind every other car on the track with just 10 laps remaining.
Brad Keselowski had his own issues through the race, but he was able to battle back through them and take over the lead position in the race on lap 319. Brad held the lead for the final seven laps to claim the victory. Kyle Larson claimed a runner-up finish with Matt Kenseth coming across the finish line third. Kasey Kahne and Chase Elliot rounded out the top five in fourth and fifth places respectively. See the complete race result for the Folds Of Honor QuikTrip 500 here.
The new stage racing format is already yielding results in the point standings. While Kevin Harvick has not been the winner in the first two 2017 NASCAR Cup series races, he has won three of the six stages that have been a part of those two races. The points from those stage wins combined with the points from his overall finishing positions in the two races makes him the leader in the NASCAR Cup series point standings.
Last week’s winner from Daytona Kurt Busch holds second place in the point standings with yesterday’s winner from Atlanta Brad Keselowski holding third place. Chase Elliott has had a great start to his 2017 season and is in fourth place in the point standings as a result. Joey Logano rounds out the top five. See the complete Monster Energy NASCAR Cup series point standings here.
NASCAR starts its three-week west coast swing with the Kobalt 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway this Sunday afternoon, March 12th.
By: Buck Stevens
CLICK THE PICTURE BELOW TO VIEW THE PHOTO GALLERY
2017 Folds OF Honor QuikTrip 500 NASCAR Race
HAMPTON, GA - MARCH 05: Brad Keselowski, driver of the #2 Autotrader Ford, celebrates with a burnout after winning the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Folds Of Honor QuikTrip 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway on March 5, 2017 in Hampton, Georgia. (Photo courtesy of NASCARmedia.com/Brian Lawdermilk/Getty Images)
HAMPTON, GA - MARCH 05: Kevin Harvick, driver of the #4 Jimmy John's Ford, leads a pack of cars during the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Folds Of Honor QuikTrip 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway on March 5, 2017 in Hampton, Georgia. (Photo courtesy of NASCARmedia.com/Matt Sullivan/Getty Images)
HAMPTON, GA - MARCH 05: Kevin Harvick, driver of the #4 Jimmy John's Ford, and Ryan Newman, driver of the #31 Caterpillar Chevrolet, lead the field to start the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Folds Of Honor QuikTrip 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway on March 5, 2017 in Hampton, Georgia. (Photo courtesy of NASCARmedia.com/Brian Lawdermilk/Getty Images)
HAMPTON, GA - MARCH 05: Dale Earnhardt Jr., driver of the #88 Nationwide Chevrolet, leads Trevor Bayne, driver of the #6 Liberty National Life Insurance Company Ford, during the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Folds Of Honor QuikTrip 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway on March 5, 2017 in Hampton, Georgia. (Photo courtesy of NASCARmedia.com/Brian Lawdermilk/Getty Images)
HAMPTON, GA - MARCH 05: Fans look on during the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Folds Of Honor QuikTrip 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway on March 5, 2017 in Hampton, Georgia. (Photo courtesy of NASCARmedia.com/Matt Sullivan/Getty Images)
HAMPTON, GA - MARCH 05: Kurt Busch, driver of the #41 Monster Energy/Haas Automation Ford, and Kyle Larson, driver of the #42 Target Chevrolet, race during the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Folds Of Honor QuikTrip 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway on March 5, 2017 in Hampton, Georgia. (Photo courtesy of NASCARmedia.com/Jerry Markland/Getty Images)
HAMPTON, GA - MARCH 05: Jimmie Johnson, driver of the #48 Lowe's Chevrolet, pits during the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Folds Of Honor QuikTrip 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway on March 5, 2017 in Hampton, Georgia. (Photo courtesy of NASCARmedia.com/Daniel Shirey/Getty Images)
HAMPTON, GA - MARCH 05: Kevin Harvick, driver of the #4 Jimmy John's Ford, leads a pack of cars during the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Folds Of Honor QuikTrip 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway on March 5, 2017 in Hampton, Georgia. (Photo courtesy of NASCARmedia.com/Brian Lawdermilk/Getty Images)
HAMPTON, GA - MARCH 05: Chase Elliott, driver of the #24 NAPA Chevrolet, races Brad Keselowski, driver of the #2 Autotrader Ford, during the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Folds Of Honor QuikTrip 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway on March 5, 2017 in Hampton, Georgia. (Photo courtesy of NASCARmedia.com/Jerry Markland/Getty Images)
HAMPTON, GA - MARCH 05: Brad Keselowski, driver of the #2 Autotrader Ford, celebrates with a burnout after winning the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Folds Of Honor QuikTrip 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway on March 5, 2017 in Hampton, Georgia. (Photo courtesy of NASCARmedia.com/Brian Lawdermilk/Getty Images)
HAMPTON, GA - MARCH 05: Brad Keselowski, driver of the #2 Autotrader Ford, celebrates in Victory Lane after winning the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Folds Of Honor QuikTrip 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway on March 5, 2017 in Hampton, Georgia. (Photo courtesy of NASCARmedia.com/Daniel Shirey/Getty Images)
HAMPTON, GA - MARCH 05: Brad Keselowski, driver of the #2 Autotrader Ford, and his team poses with the trophy in Victory Lane after winning the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Folds Of Honor QuikTrip 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway on March 5, 2017 in Hampton, Georgia. (Photo courtesy of NASCARmedia.com/Daniel Shirey/Getty Images)
