Bill Fleischman: NASCAR racer Harvick's no stick in the mud

WHEN KEVIN HARVICK is winning races, it's good for NASCAR.

Harvick is a talented racer, as he proved Sunday with his last-lap maneuvering to win at Talladega. He's also smart and refreshingly opinionated.

An example of his willingness to speak his mind occurred before Talladega when he was asked about a Twitter comment. Referring to speculation about which Sprint Cup team he'll drive for next season, Harvick wrote: "these media people crack me up! their theorys have alot of REALLY bad sources."

Responding at Talladega to a question about his comment, Harvick said: "If you're going to quote a source, quote their name. Otherwise, if they're too chicken to give you their name, don't put their quote in the paper. Anonymous sources are crap."

Later, Harvick was asked in a lighthearted manner, "Please enlighten us on when and where you got your journalism degree."

Said the 34-year-old Californian: "I don't have a journalism degree. I have a common-sense degree."

Score one for Harvick, although I'm sure he knows how journalists must pursue stories sometimes. A reliable source will offer information, but insist on anonymity.

People wonder about Harvick's Cup future because, after this season, Shell, sponsor of his No. 29 Chevrolet, is moving to Penske Racing, where it will sponsor Kurt Busch's team.

Harvick could stay with Richard Childress Racing with a new sponsor or, if Stewart-Haas launches a third team, he could wind up there. A Tony Stewart-Ryan Newman-Harvick Chevrolet trio would be formidable.

With 12 career Cup victories and two Nationwide Series titles, Harvick is an appealing driver for sponsors.

Harvick's victory at Talladega, ending an 0-for-115 winless drought, was masterful. His Chevy appeared magnetized to Jamie McMurray's No. 1 Chevy as they approached the finish line. When McMurray's car wobbled slightly, Harvick slid to the inside and edged McMurray by 0.011 of a second.

Harvick's last previous win was in the 2007 Daytona 500. He would have won this year's Daytona 500 had NASCAR not changed its green-white-checkered rule to allow up to three tries at finishing. Harvick led the first overtime after a caution flag was waved.

Remember who won Daytona this year? McMurray, thanks to a shove from former teammate Greg Biffle. Harvick finished seventh.

Following a runner-up finish in the next race at California, Harvick gained the points lead, which he held for 3 more weeks. He's now second in points, 26 behind leader Jimmie Johnson. RCR teammates Clint Bowyer (11th) and Jeff Burton (12th) also are in the top 12 in points. Last year, no RCR driver qualified for the Chase for the Championship.

Harvick's business savvy is displayed with the successful Nationwide and Camping World Truck Series teams co-owned with his wife DeLana.

Where will Harvick be next season in the Cup series? He isn't saying, because he probably doesn't know.

"Richard Childress and myself have a great relationship," he said, "and we've been talking about a lot of things for several months."

Since Harvick fields Chevys in the other two NASCAR series, it's a safe bet he'll be driving a Chevy next season.

Next up is Saturday night at Richmond, where all three RCR drivers have won at the entertaining, .75-mile oval.

"Richmond is just a perfect racetrack," Bowyer said. "It's just big enough that a fan sitting in the stands can get that sensation of speed, but it's short enough you still beat and bang on each other. That's what everybody likes to see. I just feel they did their homework when they built Richmond."

Said Harvick: "It's a racetrack that kind of goes with everything we do, from my driving style to the cars to everything that goes with it. You can run the top, bottom and the middle. It's a fun track from a driver's standpoint, because it gives you options."

Crown Royal Presents the Heath Calhoun 400

Richmond International Raceway, Richmond, Va.

When: Saturday, 7:30 p.m.

TV/Radio: Fox/WNPV (1440-AM), WDSD (94.7 FM)

Course: .75-mile oval

Distance: 400 laps/300 miles

Last year's winner: Kyle Busch

Last year's pole: Brian Vickers, 127.131 mph

Track qualifying record: Vickers, 129.983 mph (May 2004)

Track facts: Kyle Busch led 53 laps, including the last 49, to win last year's race. Tony Stewart was runner-up; Jeff Burton was third . . . Denny Hamlin won the September race at RIR . . . Stewart, Jimmie Johnson and Dale Earnhardt Jr. each has the most wins (3) at the track among full-time active drivers . . . Heath Calhoun is an Iraq war veteran (101st Airborne) who lost both legs in an explosion . . . With fourth-, sixth- and fifth-place finishes the last three races, Mark Martin has climbed to sixth place, from 17th, in points . . . Juan Pablo Montoya's third place at Talladega ties his season best. A Chaser last year, Montoya is 20th in points . . . David Ragan's sixth-place finish at Talladega was his first top 10 of the year . . . Brad Keselowski was docked 50 points for failing a postrace inspection after his Nationwide Series win Sunday at Talladega.

SPRINT CUP STANDINGS, Through 9 of 36 races

1. Jimmie Johnson 1323

2. Kevin Harvick 1297

3. Greg Biffle 1237

4. Matt Kenseth 1224

5. Kyle Busch 1163

6. Mark Martin 1154

7. Kurt Busch 1146

8. Dale Earnhardt Jr. 1142

9. Denny Hamlin 1138

10. Jeff Gordon 1130

11. Clint Bowyer 1086

12. Jeff Burton 1082

13. Carl Edwards 1067

14. Tony Stewart 1061

15. Martin Truex Jr. 1045

16. Joey Logano 1001

17. Jamie McMurray 998

18. Ryan Newman 995

19. Paul Menard 962

20. Juan Montoya 959

Up next: Showtime Southern 500, May 8, Darlington Raceway, Darlington, S.C., 7:30 p.m.; TV: Fox; last year's winner: Mark Martin.