DARLINGTON, S.C. — The 2016 Southern 500 was Kevin Harvick's to lose. The 2014 Sprint Cup champion led a race-high 214 laps Sunday at Darlington Raceway but suffered from a series of pit-road mistakes that he was unable to overcome in a second-place finish.
Despite team pep talks from crew chief Rodney Childers, Harvick's team failed to keep pace on pit road as it lost a total of 18 spots over the course of the race, according to the Motor Racing Network.
"We're just mediocre on pit road. I'm over being a cheerleader," Harvick said in a press conference after the race.