NASCAR: Dominant Harvick saves Chase place

Reigning NASCAR Sprint Cup champion Kevin Harvick dominated at Dover Speedway to take the win needed to progress through to the next round of the Chase.

After low finishes at Chicagoland and New Hampshire, the Stewart-Haas driver was quick from the start, controlled restarts well and withstood pressure from Joe Gibbs Racing's Kyle Busch to avoid going out early.

"I think we're better than we were last year, just because of the experiences and things that we've had," Harvick said. "I think when we look at everything that's gone on over the last couple of years, it's just been a lot of fun.

"So, it's just that never-quit attitude. That's what (team co-owner) Tony Stewart said when we went to Homestead last year. He said, 'Whatever you do, do not quit until they throw that checkered flag.'"

Busch, who also needed a high finish to secure his place in the next round of the Chase, did have a spell in the lead but was unable to keep Harvick behind, finishing second ahead of Dale Earnhardt Jr. Busch conceded Harvick's victory was bad news for everyone else still in the Chase.

"The way he ran today, hell, yeah," Busch said. "That was a guy that we wanted to knock out. That's a guy that can win all these races, and you don't want to have to compete against a guy like that.

"But that's why they're as good as they are, and they were last year's champion, so they're going to have an opportunity to continue on. We'll see what happens. There's still two more rounds to figure out who's going to make it to Homestead."

Paul Menard and Clint Bowyer never looked like making the grade for the next Chase stage but the biggest scalp of the round was claimed when six time Cup champion Jimmie Johnson finished the race 36 laps down in 42nd.

Johnson was going well in fourth but when a rear axle seal came loose on lap 106 of 400, the repairs required meant that the Hendrick Motorsports driver was relying on attrition to help him progress. When that didn't happen, it safeguarded the Chase positions of everyone in the top 11 in the points, leaving Earnhardt and Jamie McMurray to contest the final Chase spot and third on the road.

Hendrick Motorsports driver Earnhardt spent much of the race vying with McMurray on track but when he squeezed ahead of the Chip Ganassi driver, McMurray was deposited out of the Chase on a points tiebreak.

The race also highlighted how competitive the grid is this year as non-Chase drivers Aric Almirola and Kasey Kahne finished fifth and sixth, the former challenging McMurray on the final lap.

Ricky Stenhouse Jr. finished eighth ahead of Kyle Larson in ninth, who tried to help teammate McMurray late on, letting him by to challenge Earnhardt, but fell behind at the final restart. Penske driver Joey Logano rounded out the top 10.

The already advanced Matt Kenseth and Denny Hamlin finished seventh and 18th, respectively, with the latter being penalized twice for speeding in the pitlane.

RESULTS - 400 LAPS:

CHASE STANDINGS:

Originally on Autosport.com

Quotes courtesy of NASCAR Wire Service