Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series playoff contenders Kevin Harvick and Erik Jones had their days end early after being involved in an incident with around 10 laps to go in stage two of the South Point 400 from Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
Harvick blew a tire while running inside the top 10 entering Turn 1 and slammed the wall. Jones, who was committed to the high lane, was unable to slow down in time. The No. 20 Toyota had nowhere to go, piling into the No. 4.
Here's another look at the crash that ended the day for @KevinHarvick and @erik_jones. #NASCARPlayoffs
Tune in for more coverage on @NBCSN and the @NBCSports app: https://t.co/BHXvTwrLoC pic.twitter.com/jjjt2R90yI
— NASCAR (@NASCAR) September 16, 2018
“It’s unfortunate,” Jones told NBCSN after starting from the pole. “We didn’t have the best handling DeWalt Camry today … but we were going to finish top 10 no matter what. Nothing Kevin (Harvick) can do and nothing we can do, unfortunately. Not the situation we needed to be in.”
Harvick was displeased with Goodyear, to put it lightly.
“It’s like Russian Roulette every time you put these piece-of-crap tires on,” a frustrated Harvick told NBCSN at the infield care center. “I’m not happy about anything right now.”
Harvick had the same incident last season at Las Vegas, ending his day in stage one. But the March winner of this race had high hopes to repeat and was running at or near the front most of the race. Unfortunately, five spots lost on pit road put Harvick back in dirty air and the blown right front finished him off.
That incident for @KevinHarvick was eerily similar to last season when he also blew a tire entering Turn 1. #NASCAR pic.twitter.com/MI8aBrxZBf
— Davey Segal (@DaveyCenter) September 16, 2018
Both drivers will look to rebound next weekend at Richmond Raceway.