In a Must-Win Scenario for His Championship Defense,

Harvick Picks Great Time for His First Victory at Delaware Track

Wiley X^® sponsored NASCAR driver and 2014 Sprint Cup Series Champion Kevin Harvick^® found himself in a must-win situation Sunday, October 4: Take the checkered flag at the AAA 400 at Dover International Speedway, and Harvick would move on to the Sprint Cup Series Chase Contender Round for the opportunity to defend his crown against the world’s best drivers. Anything less than a victory in this race would have eliminated Harvick and forced him to think about what might have been if not for some bad breaks (such as falling from the lead back to 21^st in last week’s Sylvania 300 after running out of fuel at the end).  

Racing fans who have followed Harvick this season could hardly be surprised that he once again responded to this kind of daunting challenge.  He didn’t just win the AAA 400; he dominated the field.  Harvick began the race in 15^th position, worked his way into the lead by Lap 24 of the one-mile concrete oval, and consistently fought off challenger after challenger.  He led the race seven times for a race-high 355 of the 400 total laps — a new career best for Harvick in terms of laps led in a Sprint Cup race.  The AAA 400 win marked Harvick’s 31^st career Sprint Cup victory — but was his first ever at Dover International Speedway.

“Kevin had to be great in this race, and he was.  That is the mark of a true champion,” said Wiley X Co-Founder Myles Freeman, Jr.  “He faced must-win situations on the road to last year’s championship and ultimately prevailed.  That has to be a big boost for his confidence as he moves on to even greater challenges over the coming weeks. We’re excited to watch the upcoming playoff races unfold and we’ll be rooting for Kevin, and the other Wiley X drivers every step of the way,” added Freeman.

Harvick will be joined in the upcoming Contender Round series of races by several other prominent drivers who are also part of “Team Wiley X.”   In fact, the 12-driver field for this next round will feature four top drivers who rely on the protection and clear vision of Wiley X eyewear:  Harvick, Matt Kenseth, Joey Logano and Carl Edwards.  Each one of these proven winners is more than capable of claiming the championship crown. 

These top NASCAR drivers (along with several others) trust Wiley X sunglasses to provide clear vision and high-velocity protection on the track and off.  Wiley X glasses are stylish and comfortable for everyday wear, yet they meet demanding ANSI Z87.1 High Velocity and High Mass Impact Safety standards (as well as EN.166 Standards) for true OSHA-grade protection.  Wiley X is the only premium sunglass brand with this level of vision protection in every pair of adult glasses it makes. For nearly 30 years, Wiley X has been a leading provider of protective eyewear for U.S. military, law enforcement, professional fishermen and other high-performance athletes.

To follow the exploits of Wiley X-sponsored NASCAR drivers on the road to the Sprint Cup Championship — or learn more about the company’s full line of advanced sunglasses providing Absolute Premium Protection — visit www.wileyx.com.  Or contact Wiley X at 7800 Patterson Pass Road, Livermore, CA 94550 · Telephone: (800) 776-7842.