MARTINSVILLE, Va.-Kevin Harvick overcame an ill-handling car to charge to the front, pass Dale Earnhardt Jr. for the lead and hold on to win Sunday’s race at Martinsville Speedway.
Earnhardt had taken over the lead with 20 laps to go with a pass of Kyle Busch that brought everyone in the grandstands to their feet. But Harvick closed quickly, pulled onto Earnhardt’s bumper with four laps to go, and made his pass in the second turn.
Earnhardt tried to get the lead back, but conceded as they rounded the fourth turn. Harvick then sailed away for his second consecutive victory.
He also made a late charge last week to beat Busch and Jimmie Johnson at California.
“I hate to be the bad guy here, but winning’s winning,” Harvick said in Victory Lane of denying NASCAR’s most popular driver the win.