Kevin Harvick to Backup Car after Hard Crash in Practice

Kevin Harvick, the driver of the #4 Busch Beer Ford, practices for the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Food City 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway on April 13, 2018, in Bristol, Tennessee. Photo – Sean Gardner/Getty Images

Kevin Harvick, a three-time winner in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series this year, will stake the rest of the Food City 500 field to a handicap on Sunday—but not by choice.

Roughly 45 minutes into opening practice at Bristol Motor Speedway, Harvick’s No. 4 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford veered to the right in turn three and shot into the outside wall.

“Something obviously either came off or broke in the front suspension,” Harvick said after the crash. “It looks more like the right-front, to tell you the truth.

“It definitely wasn’t a tire failure or anything like that, but just going in the corner, as soon as I let off the gas it just hung a right, so it’s unfortunate for our Busch Beer/Jimmy John’s Ford, but we’ll get another one out and do it again.”

Under NASCAR rules, Harvick will start Sunday’s race from the rear of the field in his backup car.

AJ Allmendinger also spun in opening practice and tagged the wall with the right rear of his No. 47 JTG-Daugherty Racing Chevrolet, but the team opted to forego a backup car in favor of repairing the primary.