Bell sponsored driver Kevin Harvick overcame a stiff neck and searing heat to crush the field in Saturday’s CampingWorld.com 200, where he started from the pole in his No. 2 Kevin Harvick Inc. Chevrolet Silverado, sponsored this week by Stubbs Legendary BBQ/Kroger.

And from there, he dominated from flag to flag, leading all but 17 laps in a commanding performance. In four NCWTS starts, this season, Harvick has three victories and one second-place finish.

“Our Stubbs Chevrolet was just awesome today,” said Harvick. “Physically, I feel OK. I’m just nervous about moving the wrong way. ... I felt a lot better the hotter it got in there.”

The NASCAR Sprint Cup points leader had an easy day of it, despite his stiff neck and the near 100-degree ambient temperature at the 1.25-mile track. He cruised to an easy victory over fellow Cup regular Brad Keselowski, Johnny Sauter, series points leader Todd Bodine and Matt Crafton.

At Gateway on Saturday, Harvick quickly opened a big lead from the drop of the green flag, while in the first five laps, teammate Ron Hornaday Jr. moved from his starting spot of eighth to third behind Harvick and Keselowski. On Lap 8, Hornaday took second, moving his No. 33 Charter Communications Chevy past the No. 29 Miller Lite Dodge Ram.

At the one-quarter distance, Harvick and Hornaday were 1-2, ahead of ThorSport teammates Johnny Sauter and Crafton, with last weekend’s winner, Austin Dillon in fifth.

On Lap 49, Hornaday had a sway bar link failure and was forced to pit, handing over the runner-up spot. Moments later, Ryan Sieg lost his right-front tire, crashing into the wall and bringing out a caution.

Harvick held sway on pit road, leading over Crafton, Timothy Peters, Sauter and Dillon. But Hornaday wasn’t so lucky, going nine laps down after his crew made repairs.

By Lap 70, Harvick’s lead was 2.444 seconds, as he had led all but one lap to this point. Three laps later, the caution flew for debris. Under the yellow flag, Aric Almirola took over the lead on pit road, as he took fuel only, leading over Dillon, Jason White, Justin Lofton and Harvick on the Lap 78 restart.

On Lap 81, Ricky Carmichael got turned by Mike Skinner, sending him first into the wall, and then back down the track where he collected Jeffrey Earnhardt in hard contact.

The race restarted on Lap 90, Almirola leading Dillon and Harvick, who within one and a half laps was back out front. and by Lap 100 opened a lead of 4.961 seconds.

With 36 laps to go, Lofton’s Toyota started dumping fluid on the track, sending the yellow flag waving for the fifth time and erasing a 7+ second lead for Harvick.

The field came down pit road for fuel and tires, Harvick emerging with the lead over Sauter, Keselowski, Todd Bodine and Timothy Peters.

The restart came with 31 laps to go, and two laps later, Keselowski took second from Sauter. From there, Harvick was never headed, as his Chevy clearly was the class of the field all race long.
Kevin Harvick wears the Bell Infusion Top Air helmet in NASCAR Sprint Cup, Nationwide and Camping World competition.