Fantastic Finish: Harvick, Hamlin Set to Renew Rivalry that Fueled an Unforgettable Finish Last Season
The two winningest drivers of 2020 set their sights on the checkers this weekend at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, renewing last year’s classic clash that saw Harvick narrowly defeat a hard-charging Hamlin in the closing laps of the Foxwoods Resort Casino 301.
LOUDON, N.H. – All eyes will be on New Hampshire Motor Speedway this weekend when New England’s first major sporting event since the pandemic, the Foxwoods Resort Casino 301, goes green at “The Magic Mile.” If last season’s dramatic finish is any indication, fans are in for a wild summer showdown on Sunday.
Defending race winner Kevin Harvick started last year’s event mid-pack after a 14th place qualifying effort. Behind the wheel of his Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota, Denny Hamlin took the green flag in 23rd, but quickly raced his way into the top 10.
Hamlin finished stage one in ninth position, just one spot behind Harvick, but it wasn’t until the third stage when the veteran duo really took control of the race. In the closing laps, Harvick led a hard-charging Hamlin, but lapped traffic slowed the Stewart-Haas Racing driver just enough for Hamlin to close the gap. The two raced side-by-side down the backstretch on the final lap before making contact coming out of turn four and heading for the checkered flag. Ultimately, Harvick prevailed by a razor-thin 0.210-second margin.
“Harvick just kind of out-smarted me on the last lap protecting the bottom,” Hamlin recalled. “I didn’t do a good job on that last lap. I, obviously, had the fastest car. He just out-smarted me by putting himself in that position where he was on the offense and he could play defense by just giving me the ol’ door coming out of turn four. He got the best of me, and I certainly haven’t forgotten it.”
For Harvick, the win earned him his second consecutive Foxwoods Resort Casino 301 trophy and his record-tying fourth overall Cup Series victory at “The Magic Mile.”
“We were either leaving on a tow truck or winning the race,” Harvick said. “The way that racing is now, with all the chances you have to take, whether it’s strategy or blocking or pushing somebody out of the way, he did exactly what he was supposed to do and I feel like I did what I was supposed to do to try to win the race. When you’re in position, you just have to lay it all out there and see what happens.”
Since leaving New England last summer, the battle between the two hasn’t slowed. In 2020 alone, Harvick and Hamlin have combined to win nine of the season’s 19 Cup Series events. Where last year, all the talk was about “the big three” drivers (Harvick, Kyle Busch and Martin Truex Jr.), this year, it’s all about two – Harvick and Hamlin.
Can those two put on another edge-of-your-seat show this weekend? Fans won’t have to wait long to find out. Coverage of the Foxwoods Resort Casino 301 can be found on NBCSN beginning at 2:30 p.m. or the Performance Racing Network radio affiliates at 2 p.m.
Tickets/Parking:
Limited tickets still remain for Sunday’s Foxwoods Resort Casino 301. Adult tickets are available starting at $70 at https://www.nhms.com/events/
Follow Us:
Keep track of all of New Hampshire Motor Speedway’s events during its 30th anniversary season by following on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Keep up with all the latest news and information on the speedway website and NHMS mobile app.
Sources: Shannon Stephens/NHMS PR
Kevin Harvick beat Denny Hamlin by a mere 0.21 seconds in the NASCAR Cup Series Foxwoods Resort Casino 301 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway on July 21, 2019. Photo Courtesy: NHMS/Harold Hinson Photography