A Harvick win Sunday in Phoenix would put him in exclusive club
AVONDALE, Ariz. — Kevin Harvick has had a big share of his best Cup moments at Phoenix Raceway.
While his dominance in the desert has faded slightly over the past five years, Sunday is one of two more chances to get win No. 10 here and join some elite company before retirement, which the Stewart-Haas Ford driver says will be at the end of the season.
Every time he comes to Arizona, Harvick is reminded how good he’s been since he swept both races at the track 17 years ago. And pretty much every time, he deflects praise.
“It feels somewhat arrogant and cocky to look at your own stats, especially when they’re good,” Harvick said. “I’m never going to tell you I’m impressed with anything of my stats, because I always feel like they could be better.”
Harvick has won nine times at the 1-mile tri-oval and is seeking to become just the sixth driver in Cup history to win 10 times at one track, an exclusive club that includes Richard Petty, Darrell Waltrip, Jimmie Johnson, Dale Earnhardt and David Pearson.
To win Sunday, Harvick will have to beat Joey Logano, who won the Cup championship in Phoenix last November and has won three times at the track — all since 2016.
But no one has had a run in Phoenix like Harvick. He was especially dominant from 2012 to 2016, winning six of 10 races, including a sweep in 2014. He hasn’t won at Phoenix since 2018, but he’s still been in the hunt, not finishing outside of the top 10 in his past 19 starts at the track.
There have been countless changes in NASCAR since Harvick’s first win here in 2006. The cars have been altered, the tires have changed and most of the other drivers have changed. None of it has fazed him.
“There’s constant evolution,” Harvick said. “The thing I tell our guys is ‘adapt or die.’”
Harvick’s No. 4 Ford has been competitive at the beginning of his final season. The Stewart-Haas driver finished fifth at Fontana and ninth last week in Las
Vegas. New rules
Drivers are getting used to a new rules package that is debuting this week in Phoenix. It applies to all short tracks and road courses, excluding Bristol and Dover.
Martin Truex Jr. and Alex Bowman echoed a general consensus that the new rules have caused cars to slide a little more in the corners because the downforce isn’t quite as strong.
The drivers were given an extra 50-minute practice session Friday to get used to the new setup.
“It was a little slicker, a little slower in general,” Truex said. “Basically, losing a little more brake and less throttle. Slower mid-corner speeds and a little more slipping and sliding. I was in a little bit of traffic and felt it was a little better in traffic, but the ultimate test will be what happens on Sunday.”
Odds and ends
Kyle Larson is a 5-1 favorite to win Sunday, according to FanDuel Sportsbook. Harvick is 9-1 to get his 10th win at the track. ... Chevrolets have won the first three races this season. That’s the first time it has happened since 2010 and just the fifth time in the modern era, which dates to 1972. ... Racing trailblazer Lyn St. James will be the honorary pace car driver for Sunday’s race.