Kevin Harvick made a late race pass of Dale Earnhardt. Jr. to win Sunday's Goody's Fast Pain Relief 500, the RCR driver’s second consecutive NASCAR Sprint Cup Series victory. It is Harvick's 16th career Cup Series win and makes him the first repeat winner of the 2011 season.

Earnhardt, Jr. got by Kyle Busch for the lead with 20 laps remaining, a move that brought the crowd to their feet. Harvick, last week's winner in California, challenged Dale, Jr. for several laps before passing his Chevrolet teammate on lap 497 of the 500-lap race.

"I hate to be the bad guy here, but we’re in it to win it,” Harvick said in acknowledgement of the fans obvious favorite. "I know the fans want to see him win, I want to see him win, it would be great for the sport."

Dale, Jr. held on to finish second and credited crew chief Steve Latarte for the No. 88 team’s strong performance.

"I don't know what I could have done different," Earnhardt, Jr. said. "Steve did an awesome job with pit strategy, that's what got us up there. Steve’s a good crew chief, and he’s going to give me more opportunities like this, I feel.”

Kyle Busch, who led a race-high 151 laps, finished third followed by Juan Pablo Montoya and Matt Kenseth. Polesitter Jamie McMurray finished sixth.

The biggest crash of the day occurred on lap 221 when the throttle stuck on Martin Truex’s Toyota in turn three. Truex collected Kasey Kahne in the violent wreck that brought the red flag out for more than 25 minutes as track workers made repairs to the outside retaining wall. Both drivers exited their cars without assistance.

Kyle Busch holds the NASCAR Sprint Cup point lead as the series heads to Texas.

 MORE NASCAR NEWS