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BROOKLYN, MI – Last week at Watkins Glen, Chase Elliott’s maiden victory on the road course interrupted the season of the Big Three.

But on Sunday at Michigan International Speedway, Kevin Harvick restored the status quo, winning for the seventh time this season and breaking a tie with third-place finisher Kyle Busch for most victories in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series.

Harvick led 108 of the 200 laps in the Consumers Energy 400 and cruised to a 3.233-second win over Brad Keselowski, who took over second place when Austin Dillon slowed with a cut tire on the next-to-last lap. Dillon nevertheless held the fourth place at the finish, one spot ahead of Ryan Blaney.

Kevin Harvick and his son Keelan apply the winner’s decal (NASCAR via Getty Images)

The victory was Harvick’s second at the 2.0-mile track — the first having come in 2010 — and the 44th of his career, tying him with NASCAR Hall of Famer Bill Elliott for 17th on the all-time win list. Harvick swept the first and second stages of the race and leapfrogged past Busch into the lead in Playoff points. Harvick now has 40 to Busch’s 35.

“The most important thing is winning races right now and getting all the points that you can get to position yourself well to get to Homestead,” Harvick said. “That’s what we’ve been trying to do all year is win races.

“That was our only goal. We didn’t want to learn anything. We don’t want to do anything different. We just want to go out, and we want to win.”

Keselowski, who drove from his 18th-place starting position to the runner-up spot, was grateful to have a clean race.

“It’s nice to be able to get the finish we deserved,” Keselowski said. “That’s important. It’s important to get what you have out of your car. Although we might not have race-winning speed, it’s important to execute.

“So with that in mind, it’s good for everybody’s morale at Team Penske, and on the No. 2 team as well, but of course we want to break through and win as well. As I indicated, we not where we need to be to just win on speed against those guys week in and week out, so we’ve just got to find it. We’ve got to find that little bit of performance. It’s not a lot, but it’s just enough to keep us out of victory lane.”

Kurt Busch, Aric Almirola, pole winner Denny Hamlin, Chase Elliott and Joey Logano completed the top 10.

After the race, Harvick’s 6-year-old son Keelan ran across the track to collect the checkered flag.

“Keelan is saving me some work,” Harvick quipped. “Usually, when I get home, the next day we have to mock up a victory lane celebration. For him to be here and able to do that and be a part of NASCAR and bring your son to work and do all the things that we get to do with our kids, I have had him with me by myself the last three weeks and we have had a ball.

“I couldn’t be happier to be a dad and be a part of NASCAR, where they let your family come to the racetrack and be a part of it.”

In the regular-season series standings, Kyle Busch maintained a 62-point lead over Harvick. Dillon scored his first top five since winning the season-opening Daytona 500.

Race Results – Consumers Energy 400

1. (3) Kevin Harvick, Ford, 200.

2. (18) Brad Keselowski, Ford, 200.

3. (2) Kyle Busch, Toyota, 200.

4. (5) Austin Dillon, Chevrolet, 200.

5. (8) Ryan Blaney, Ford, 200.

6. (12) Kurt Busch, Ford, 200.

7. (11) Aric Almirola, Ford, 200.

8. (1) Denny Hamlin, Toyota, 200.

9. (21) Chase Elliott, Chevrolet, 200.

10. (9) Joey Logano, Ford, 200.

11. (40) Daniel Suarez, Toyota, 200.

12. (16) Clint Bowyer, Ford, 200.

13. (4) Erik Jones, Toyota, 200.

14. (7) Martin Truex Jr., Toyota, 200.

15. (6) Ryan Newman, Chevrolet, 200.

16. (14) Paul Menard, Ford, 200.

17. (17) Kyle Larson, Chevrolet, 200.

18. (13) Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Ford, 200.

19. (10) Alex Bowman, Chevrolet, 200.

20. (23) Chris Buescher, Chevrolet, 200.

21. (15) Jamie McMurray, Chevrolet, 200.

22. (25) AJ Allmendinger, Chevrolet, 199.

23. (22) Bubba Wallace #, Chevrolet, 199.

24. (30) Matt DiBenedetto, Ford, 199.

25. (29) Michael McDowell, Ford, 199.

26. (28) Kasey Kahne, Chevrolet, 199.

27. (24) David Ragan, Ford, 199.

28. (19) Jimmie Johnson, Chevrolet, 198.

29. (31) Landon Cassill, Chevrolet, 197.

30. (39) Blake Jones, Toyota, 194.

31. (33) BJ McLeod(i), Ford, 194.

32. (36) * Garrett Smithley(i), Chevrolet, 193.

33. (34) * Gray Gaulding, Chevrolet, 191.

34. (26) Trevor Bayne, Ford, Engine, 189.

35. (35) Ross Chastain(i), Chevrolet, Axle, 187.

36. (20) William Byron #, Chevrolet, 187.

37. (37) * Timmy Hill(i), Chevrolet, Electrical, 138.

38. (27) Ty Dillon, Chevrolet, Accident, 131.

39. (38) * Jeffrey Earnhardt, Toyota, Engine, 102.

40. (32) Corey LaJoie, Chevrolet, Engine, 37.

Average Speed of Race Winner:  140.474 mph.

Time of Race:  02 Hrs, 50 Mins, 51 Secs.

Margin of Victory:  3.233 Seconds.

Caution Flags:  8 for 37 laps.

Lead Changes:  15 among 9 drivers.

Lap Leaders:   D. Hamlin 1-13; K. Harvick 14; Kyle Busch 15-26; K. Harvick 27; Kyle Busch 28-29; K. Harvick 30-63; J. Johnson 64-67; Kyle Busch 68-75; J. Johnson 76-84; M. Truex Jr. 85-109; K. Harvick 110-170; A. Dillon 171-175; J. Logano 176; R. Newman 177-188; J. McMurray 189; K. Harvick 190-200.

Leaders Summary (Driver, Times Lead, Laps Led):  K. Harvick 5 times for 108 laps; M. Truex Jr. 1 time for 25 laps; Kyle Busch 3 times for 22 laps; D. Hamlin 1 time for 13 laps; J. Johnson 2 times for 13 laps; R. Newman 1 time for 12 laps; A. Dillon 1 time for 5 laps; J. McMurray 1 time for 1 lap; J. Logano 1 time for 1 lap.

Stage #1 Top Ten: 4,18,12,41,78,11,10,31,2,88

Stage #2 Top Ten: 4,18,12,41,3,22,14,10,2,42

By Reid Spencer, NASCAR Wire Service

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