Harvick banned from Martinsville Cup race.

Volatile Kevin Harvick has been controversially 'parked' by NASCAR ahead of Sunday's Virginia 500 at the Martinsville Speedway after he followed up his recent Busch Series remonstrations with a Craftsman Truck Series banging match with Coy Gibbs.

Kevin Harvick will not be allowed to start Sunday's eighth round of the 2002 NASCAR Winston Cup Series at the Martinsville Speedway after the series officials black flagged the 2001 Raybestos Rookie of the Year and Busch Grand National Champion in Saturday's Advance Auto Parts 250 Craftsman Truck Series race.

The driver of the No.29 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet Monte Carlo was disqualified from the supporting Truck race after several collisions with Coy Gibbs with NASCAR feeling that should the two meet again on the race track Harvick would again retaliate. After a lengthy meeting with NASCAR Harvick was told that he would not be allowed to start Sunday's Virginia 500 in a move that extinguishes any hopes he had of finishing in the top five in points this year.

However after his recent Busch Series actions with Greg Biffle and resulting license endorsement, NASCAR took the step of barring Harvick from participating in Sunday's Winston Cup event even though he is not currently under observation for that series.

In his brief tenure thus far in NASCAR's highest echelon Harvick has built a reputation as a fast, fiery character and has incurred the wrath of more than one of his more experienced rivals with his un-compromising style. However his Winston Cup behaviour has been fine so far in 2002 and his team boss Richard Childress was not impressed with the ruling.

"NASCAR had to do something in response to Kevin's actions during the Truck race yesterday, but I think their response was completely wrong," said a decidedly unhappy Richard Childress. "I have not seen the clip of Kevin's actions during the Truck race so I can't comment on what he did. He has had problems in the Busch and Truck Series and had been on probation for his actions, but the decision to 'park' him during the Winston Cup race is wrong.

"NASCAR should keep the actions and punishments separate to each series. This should be Kevin's punishment only, but what NASCAR is doing is punishing the tens of thousands of race fans who probably didn't know until they got to the track this morning that Kevin won't be allowed to race today.

"NASCAR is also punishing the entire No. 29 team and all of Richard Childress Racing for one person's actions. NASCAR is also punishing GM Goodwrench Service, who has been nothing but loyal to RCR and the sport for many years. This is only my opinion.

"I will sit down with Kevin Monday morning to discuss what happened and how we will proceed from here."