“This is what it is all about, those big time moments.” – Race Winner Kevin Harvick to Marty Snider
“Something very inexpensive and simple, but that is racing. I have lost Championships this way and I have won Championships this way.” – Eliminated Chase driver Jimmie Johnson on what went wrong to Mike Massaro
“He is extremely confident, he believes in himself, he believes in his team. When you put those things together it is empowering.” – Jeff Burton on Kevin Harvick’s Success
DOVER, Del. — Oct. 4, 2015 – NBCSN presented the critical first cut race of the 2015 NASCAR Sprint Cup Playoffs this afternoon from Dover International Speedway. The event culminated in dramatic fashion, with Kevin Harvick escaping elimination and secured his place in the Round of 12. Four drivers found themselves outside the bubble and will not be moving forward towards NASCAR’S Championship: Jamie McMurray, Jimmie Johnson, Paul Menard and Clint Bowyer.
Inside the NBCSN broadcast booth, race announcer Rick Allen and analysts Jeff Burton and Steve Letarte called the action. Working the pits were NBCSN reporters Marty Snider, Kelli Stavast, Mike Massaro and Dave Burns.
RACE RESULTS
| Position | Driver | Car Number |
| 1 | Kevin Harvick | 4 |
| 2 | Kyle Busch | 18 |
| 3 | Dale Earnhardt Jr. | 88 |
| 4 | Jamie McMurray | 1 |
| 5 | Aric Almirola | 43 |
ROUND OF 12 CHASE DRIVERS
| Driver | Car Number |
| Kyle Busch | 18 |
| Matt Kenseth | 20 |
| Joey Logano | 22 |
| Kevin Harvick | 4 |
| Dale Earnhardt Jr | 88 |
| Kurt Busch | 41 |
| Carl Edwards | 19 |
| Brad Keselowski | 2 |
| Martin Truex Jr | 78 |
| Denny Hamlin | 11 |
| Jeff Gordon | 24 |
| Ryan Newman | 31 |
The following are highlights from afternoon’s NASCAR Sprint Cup race coverage on NBCSN.
Letarte on Jimmie Johnson’s early mechanical issue: “We talked about small mechanical issues you can’t afford to have, this is one. That seal is probably a $15 or $20 seal, if that fails the oil of the gears slicks to the right of the housing…next thing you know you are on pit road. This is going to be a lengthy repair.”
Letarte on Johnson’s Chase situation: “Johnson was in the group that really was racing themselves, racing the racetrack. They just had to limit their mistakes. He had a 27 point cushion. He now has to see what everyone else does, there is very little he is going to be able to do to gain points from here to the end of the race.”
Burton on post-crash rescue routine: “When you go into the infield care center, they check you out, but they also check out your equipment. They want to know how did your helmet hold up, how did the HANS hold up, did the straps break. Every time you go into the infield care center, that equipment goes with you, so NASCAR can look it over.”
Burton on Kevin Harvick’s effect on the Chase grid: “If he doesn’t win this race, he doesn’t have the points to get in currently. If he doesn’t win this race, he is going to be six points behind. So he has to win this race for variables to play out. If he finishes second, all bets are off.”
Burton on Harvick’s lead with 100 laps to go: “He is extremely confident, he believes in himself, he believes in his team. When you put those things together it is empowering. He didn’t want to be in this situation, but once he got in it, he didn’t pout, he just went to work.”
Harvick’s crew chief Rodney Childers to Stavast after his win: “(Harvick) brings us all together and makes this happen.”
Eliminated Chase driver Jimmie Johnson on what went wrong to Massaro: “Something very inexpensive and simple, but that is racing. I have lost Championships this way and I have won Championships this way.”
Chase driver Dale Earnhardt, Jr. on his mission for the round of 12 to Burns: “We just have to put these races together, we cannot have any issues or mistakes.”
Runner-up Kyle Busch to Massaro: “It was fun, we did our job, we had a second place car today and we finished second.”
Race Winner Kevin Harvick to Snider: “This is what it is all about, those big time moments.”
– NBC SPORTS GROUP –
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