Matt Kenseth and Kevin Harvick were each penalized by NASCAR a second time Wednesday for bumping each other at the end of last weekend’s Pocono 500.
The drivers, who previously were docked 10 finishing positions in last Sunday’s race, were each fined $25,000 and placed on probation until Aug. 11, a period covering the next seven Nextel Cup races.
With Sunday’s race about to end under caution, Harvick spun Kenseth into the infield. Kenseth then did the same to Harvick on the next lap.
NASCAR officials summoned Kenseth, the 2003 series champion, and Harvick to a meeting after the race, then dropped them to 20th and 21st in scoring. Kenseth originally finished 10th, and Harvick 11th.
Pocono wrap-up: Jimmie Johnson had the fastest car, yet nearly lost; Jeff Gordon got mad at the flagman on pit road; Kevin Harvick and Matt Kenseth spun one another out; NASCAR president Mike Helton made two — count them, two — apologies before the media, a first; Bobby Labonte broke an oil line, had his hood up on pit road and still finished third; and Mark Martin declared himself out of the championship hunt.
Ironman: Harvick is one of only four drivers this season without a DNF (Did Not Finish), which runs his string of consecutive races finished to 53. (Harvick did not have a single DNF last season. His last DNF came at the 2002 NAPA 500.) The others without a DNF this season are Tony Stewart, Labonte and Elliott Sadler.
Jumpin’ Jimmie: Including Sunday’s win, Jimmie Johnson has two victories, two seconds and two fourth-place finishes in the last seven races. He led 126 laps of Sunday’s race and pulled within 58 points of Nextel Cup leader Dale Earnhardt Jr.
Slumpin’ Mikey: Despite two top-10 finishes in the last three weeks, Michael Waltrip has had a disappointing season, which got worse Sunday when Robby Gordon spun him out on Lap 168, and he finished 33rd. Waltrip, 24th in the points standings, has just six top-15 finishes in 14 starts and has finished 32nd or worse five times.
Money, money: Ward Burton has earned $1.14 million this season, which ranks him 35th on the 2004 NASCAR money list. Mark Hensby, 35th on the PGA money list, has earned $1.01 million. And just in case you were wondering, nine NASCAR drivers have won at least $2 million. The same goes for the PGA Tour.
Of note: Richard Petty holds every all-time NASCAR record but two, and Jeff Gordon owns both of those. Gordon is first in career winnings ($62.1 million) and most consecutive wins on road courses (six). Petty’s 200 career victories were good for $7.75 million, good enough for 46th on the all-time winnings list.
And finally: Rookie Kasey Kahne sounded off on the Harvick-Kenseth cat fight, which played out right in front of him Sunday:
“The second time [Kenseth and Harvick] spun, Harvick came spinning right in front of me, and then he floored it in the grass and jumped back out on the track in front of me. So I had to hit my brakes, or else hit him, and then wait until he moved. I don’t know what happened. I think they were just running into each other.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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