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Harvick seeking 3rd 600 title in 4 years

By WTOP Staff

PETE IACOBELLI
AP Sports Writer

CONCORD, N.C. (AP) — Happy Harvick has lived up to his nickname this season, and hopes the good times with new team Stewart-Haas Racing roll on at Charlotte.

Kevin Harvick heads into the Coca-Cola 600 on Sunday night coming off a win and three top-10s in the last four races. He was in position to win last week’s All-Star race until a slow final pit stop caused him to finish second at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

Now he goes into the Coca-Cola 600 looking for his third win in four years at NASCAR’s longest race of the season. Harvick won the 600-miler in 2011 and 2013, and feels he’s got another shot with his new No. 4 Chevrolet.

“The first minute that I was in that car, I haven’t quit smiling,” Harvick said. “It’s been so refreshing and so much fun to be part of that every day.”

Harvick, who won 23 races in 13 seasons driving for Richard Childress Racing, said there’s something different and special about his new Rodney Childers-led crew. He praised Stewart-Haas, too.

“The bottom line is the organization from a whole has given us every resource that we have asked for,” Harvick said. “You never talk about money. It’s just what do you need and how do we get it for you.”

Harvick broke through early to dominate at Phoenix for his first win with his new team, then went through some growing pains with four finishes of 36th or worse in his next five events. Things turned around at Darlington last month when Harvick outran Hendrick Motorsports stars Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Jimmie Johnson for the victory, and he hasn’t slowed down since.

Harvick credits much of the success to Childers, recruited by Stewart-Haas after two years as a crew chief at Michael Waltrip Racing. Childers and Harvick have connected over their desire to win, not just on race day, but during every practice session, tire test or pit stop.

“They all want to win and race for championships,” Harvick said, “and when you put (those) kind of people together with that determination, everybody pushes everybody else.”

Five things to watch during Sunday’s race:

EYES ON KURT: Fans won’t be the only ones watching Kurt Busch’s try at the grueling, 1,100-mile double of the Indianapolis 500 and Coca-Cola 600. Busch’s colleagues in NASCAR will be following very closely. Clint Bowyer said he can’t wait to get up Sunday and watch the Indy 500 to see how Busch is doing. “Fans are paying attention to that and we’re paying attention, everybody in this room and everybody in this garage area is paying attention to it,” Bowyer said. “That’s a big story for us.”

JOHNSON’S SEASON: It’s been a long, dry season for defending Sprint Cup champion Jimmie Johnson, who’s been winless this season through 11 races to match his longest drought, at the start of the 2003 season. But Johnson showed some signs he’s ready to break back on top, collecting his first pole of the season for Sunday’s race. Johnson has had success at Charlotte Motor Speedway with a record-tying six previous wins including three in the Coca-Cola 600. “If I win, then I’m winning too much. If I’m not winning, then it’s ‘Why aren’t you winning?’ So I can’t do it right either way. I learned a long time ago to not pay attention to the outside voices and influences and just worry about my race team,” he said.

SUPER DALE JR.: Dale Earnhardt Jr. will be running with Superman on his No. 88 machine as part of a multi-year sponsorship deal between Hendrick Motorsports and DC Comics. Earnhardt was asked what super power he’d most like to have. “Super-human strength would be the best one to have, I think. Being able to pick stuff up and throw it across the yard would be fun. You can impress your friends and show off for the ladies,” he said.

LONG, LONG RACE: In NASCAR’s longest event, it doesn’t pay to take chances early on. Harvick said he keeps telling himself to stay patient because the extra 100-miles gives teams that much more time to get the car perfectly tuned for last stretch. It’s also about nutrition, said Jamie McMurray: “It’s always about trying to get enough food in your system so that you’re not hungry or feel week toward the end.”

MILITARY SALUTES: Few sports honor the military as well as NASCAR and expect another big show at Charlotte. Goodyear again will adorn its race tires with “Salute Our Troops” and will match funds up to $50,000 raised through charity auction. Tommy Baldwin Racing teams are also involved in a “Salute The Troops” letter writing initiative where people can send notes, cards and letters of thanks and support to military personnel. Count on flyovers and military vehicles, too.

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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