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Kevin Harvick’s car fails inspection, will start at rear of Coca-Cola 600 (video)

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Kevin Harvick will begin the Coke 600 at the rear after his team failed the qualifying inspection, but don't count him out at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

CONCORD, N.C. — Kevin Harvick will start at the rear of the field for the Coca-Cola 600 after his car failed to pass inspection Thursday and did not make a qualifying attempt.

Harvick’s team also will miss 30 minutes of final practice Saturday and be without car chief Robert Smith the rest of the weekend.

Harvick’s car failed inspection three times.

MORE: Coca-Cola 600 starting lineup
“I think it’s something that has been building throughout the year and at some point you had to get back control of it,’’ crew chief Rodney Childers said. “Basically, the template side of it wasn’t getting used and straight edges weren’t getting used and we were purely going off the (Optical Scanning Station). That was fine until it somewhat starts to get out of hand. They changed some things around last week and some personnel around and some positions around and started checking things differently.

“The whole garage had trouble last week, but we all got through it. I’ll be honest with you, we worked on this thing for 12 hours Monday (at the shop) trying to get all of it how they wanted it. We felt good about it when we unloaded it. We went through it and … everything was good.

“We went back through for qualifying and it was red. We sanded on it and it was more red, and we sanded on it again and it was more red. That part I don’t understand. That part is disappointing. It’s not their fault.

“Everybody is going to push things as much as they can, and I think everybody knows that the 4 team is out to push things as much as they can and win races. It’s disappointing to start in the back. It’s disappointing not to have (Smith) here. We’ll get through it as a race team. We’ll have a good car on Sunday.’’

About losing 30 minutes of practice time Saturday, Childers said: “You either got a good car or you don’t. I’m guessing it will be pretty good. We’ll just have to serve our penalty and move on.’’

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