Harvick expanding to NHRA with Bob Vandergriff Jr.

[Schwartz Fan]

NASCAR's Harvick exploring his options in NHRA drag racing
4/13/2008


NASCAR racer and Daytona 500 winner Kevin Harvick and his wife DeLana have teamed with NHRA drag racing veteran Bob Vandergriff Jr. to explore the option of fielding a Top Fuel dragster in NHRA competition. The proposed Harvick-Vandergriff Motorsports will specialize in offering its sponsors marketing opportunities in NHRA, NASCAR Sprint Cup, Craftsman Truck, and the Nationwide Series.

"I think we have a unique opportunity to provide unprecedented reach for companies looking to achieve their objectives through motorsports," Vandergriff said. "As this deal evolves, we want to offer the companies aligned with Harvick-Vandergriff Motorsports the chance to use the best of NHRA and NASCAR through the same program. We'll have the capabilities to provide something no other team can offer.

"I'm extremely excited about this opportunity with Kevin and his wife DeLana. Our ideas of how to market our motorsports programs and our long-term goals are the same."

This would be an unprecedented alignment of teams in the top two motorsports sanctions in the United States. Vandergriff also believes that having a team car to run alongside his championship-contending UPS dragster would be a huge advantage.

"The response from the companies we've spoken to already has been tremendous," Harvick said. "Everyone at Kevin Harvick Incorporated and Richard Childress Racing has become extremely interested with what's happening in the drag racing world through our friendship with Bob. The more we come to understand what is happening in the NHRA series, the more attractive it's becoming as a whole.

"It's my belief that NHRA could provide a great marketplace for us to grow our business by providing unmatched opportunities for interested sponsors. We view this as something that would be a natural extension of our current Craftsman Truck and Nationwide Series programs. Bob's a proven leader and innovator and DeLana and I are happy to be here as his guests. The future looks very exciting."

Vandergriff and Harvick plan to begin assembling a race team and all of the necessary components and people within the next two months as they prepare for a 2009 debut. Announcements regarding the driver and sponsors will be forthcoming.



NHRA News: NASCAR's Harvick exploring his options in NHRA drag racing (4/13/2008)

[Schwartz Fan]

Economy, other issues have Harvick Inc. backing away from NHRA effort
JIM UTTER
The Charlotte Observer
Thursday, Jul. 03, 2008


DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. - Kevin and DeLana Harvick have decided to table their plans to field a Top Fuel team in NHRA competition.

In April, the Harvicks and NHRA veteran Bob Vandergriff Jr. said they were exploring such options. The proposed Harvick-Vandergriff Motorsports would specialize in offering sponsors marketing opportunities in the NHRA and NASCAR's top-three touring series - Sprint Cup, Nationwide and Craftsman Trucks.

"There's so much changing in the whole world right now as far as where sponsorship dollars are going," said Kevin Harvick.

"We're just taking a step back and going to take a couple years and just really focus on our two trucks and see where the Nationwide thing goes as far as the rules packages and where the economy goes, instead of jumping in with both feet."

Harvick said he and his wife's Kevin Harvick Inc. may take another look at the NHRA down the road.

"It's something we still would consider looking forward, but we're going to take a couple years and just see where everything goes," he said.

Economy, other issues have Harvick Inc. backing away from NHRA effort