Chicago: Harvick takes first 2002 win

On the one-lane, 1.5-mile oval, Harvick - running fourth - dived onto the apron to try a pass on Kurt Busch at Lap 197. Harvick, his car out of control, skidded across the paved part of the infield in Turns Three and Four before hitting the banking again in Turn Four and nearly spinning out.

Other drivers backed up and took evasive action, giving all the look of a potential 15-car pile-up. Fortunately, only two others were affected, with Jimmy Spencer and Jerry Nadeau taking damage.

It brought a caution, allowing Harvick to pit under yellow to replace his flat-spotted tyres and take fuel. Harvick thus did not have to stop when the rest of the lead-lap cars pitted under caution on Lap 240, when Joe Nemechek crashed, and Harvick took the lead ahead of Jeff Gordon and Robby Gordon.

Gordon was unable to beat Harvick or the familiar aero push, which makes passing all but impossible. There were only three passes for the lead on the track, one on a restart and one when Tony Stewart went by Ryan Newman, whose right-front tyre was failing.

The victory was Harvick's first during a controversial season in which NASCAR suspended him for one race in April because of alleged rough driving. It also was his first since the Joliet event last year.

Kevin Harvick Chevrolet
Jeff Gordon Chevrolet
Tony Stewart Pontiac
Jimmie Johnson Chevrolet
Ryan Newman Ford
Kurt Busch Ford
Bill Elliott Dodge
Robby Gordon Chevrolet
Mark Martin Ford
Dale Earnhardt Jr. Chevrolet