9781422270790

BUBBA WALLACE CHASE ELLIOTT DENNY HAMLIN KEVIN HARVICK KYLE BUSCH KYLE LARSON RYAN BLANEY

Stock Car Racing ’ s Best Drivers

Dean Gregory

MASON CREST MIAMI

PO Box 221876, Hollywood, FL 33022 (866) MCP-BOOK (toll-free) • www.masoncrest.com

Copyright © 2024 by Mason Crest, an imprint of National Highlights, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping, or any information storage and retrieval system, without permission from the publisher.

First printing 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

ISBN (hardback) 978-1-4222-4741-9 ISBN (series) 978-1-4222-4737-2 ISBN (ebook) 978-1-4222-7079-0

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Names: Gregory, Dean, author. Title: Kevin Harvick / Dean Gregory.

Description: Hollywood, FL : Mason Crest, [2024] | Series: Superstars of the speedway : Stock car racing’s best drivers | Includes QR codes and links to third-party content. | Includes bibliographical references and index. Identifiers: LCCN 2023010951 | ISBN 9781422247419 (hardback) | ISBN 9781422247372 (series) | ISBN 9781422270790 (ebook) Subjects: LCSH: Harvick, Kevin--Juvenile literature. | Stock car drivers--United States--Biography--Juvenile literature. | Automobile racing drivers--United States--Biography--Juvenile literature. | Karts (Automobiles)--Juvenile literature. | Stock cars (Automobiles)--Juvenile literature. | NASCAR (Association)--Juvenile literature. | Daytona 500 (Automobile race)--Juvenile literature. Classification: LCC GV1032.H36 G74 2024 | DDC 796.72092 [B]--dc23/eng/20230627 LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2023010951

Developed and Produced by National Highlights, Inc. Editor: Andrew Luke Production: Crafted Content, LLC (www.craftedcontentllc.com)

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Chapter 1: Greatest Moments --------------------------------- 07 Chapter 2: The Road to the Top ------------------------------- 21 Chapter 3: Victory Lane - -------------------------------------- 33 Chapter 4: Under the Hood ----------------------------------- 47 Chapter 5: Off the Track --------------------------------------- 61 Series Glossary of Key Terms ---------------------------------- 74 Further Reading ------------------------------------------------ 76 Internet Resources --------------------------------------------- 77 Index - ---------------------------------------------------------- 78 Author Biography & Credits ----------------------------------- 80 CONTENTS Words to Understand: These words with their easy-to-understand definitions will increase the reader’s understanding of the text while building vocabulary skills. Sidebars: This boxed material within the main text allows readers to build knowledge, gain insights, explore possibilities, and broaden their perspectives by weaving together additional information to provide realistic and holistic perspectives. Educational Videos: Readers can view videos by scanning our QR codes, providing them with additional educational content to supplement the text. Examples include news coverage, moments in history, speeches, iconic sports moments, and much more! Text-Dependent Questions: These questions send the reader back to the text for more careful attention to the evidence presented there. Research Projects: Readers are pointed toward areas of further inquiry connected to each chapter. Suggestions are provided for projects that encourage deeper research and analysis. Series Glossary of Key Terms: This back-of-the book glossary contains terminology used throughout this series. Words found here increase the reader’s ability to read and comprehend higher-level books and articles in this field. KEY ICONS TO LOOK FOR

WORDS TO UNDERSTAND

impressive: deserving of admiration prevalent: widespread in a certain place at a certain time underdog: a competitor believed to have minimal chances at winning an event

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Superstars of the Speedway: Kevin Harvick

Chapter 1

Greatest Moments

A CAREER IN THE FAST LANE Ever since Kevin Harvick was a child, he’s had a love for racing. Though his passion for the sport began when his parents purchased him a go kart as a present, it didn’t end there. His tenacity, willpower, and talent paved the way for an impressive career of victorious moments. Many NASCAR drivers must race professionally for several years before securing a win against the seasoned pros they compete against. Harvick, on the other hand, is an exception to this rule. While many drivers may never have a Top 3 finish in their career, Harvick secured his first win in the Winston Cup Series on just his third try, beating the prolific Jeff Gordon by inches. Even though this was an impressive win, it doesn’t mean that Harvick had it easy. He joined NASCAR with the Camping World Truck Series in 1995. His first win didn’t come until 2002 when he took first place at the Chevy Silverado 150 in Phoenix. During those seven years, he had several Top 5 and Top 10 finishes on his career list. In that same interim, Harvick also made his debut in the Busch series (NASCAR’s

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Greatest Moments

second-tier circuit) in 1999, running a single race. In 2000, he went on to finish 3rd in the overall Busch series points standings. Harvick’s climb to the top didn’t happen overnight. He practiced relentlessly to become the best, and when his time came, he kept his eyes on the prize and built his career into something that will leave a legacy far after his final checkered flag. Harvick’s story inspires prospective race car drivers across the nation to follow their dreams, regardless of whether they win every race. TALLADEGA NIGHT Harvick will certainly go down in history as one of the best NASCAR drivers of all time. While there’s no shortage of winning races in Harvick’s career history, a few stand out. One of the most memorable of these races was the 2010 Aaron’s 499, which is a Talladega Speedway event race. Even though these types of races are known for being wild, this 2010 race would go down in history as one of the most competitive racing events ever—it had more than 88 position changes (that’s a record)! Perhaps the most impressive thing about his race is that despite the fierce competition, Harvick stayed in the mix to have a shot at the finish. He dodged a 10-car pileup on Lap 84 and a nine-car crash on Lap 189 to be there on the final lap. Harvick was able to find just enough room to get below the No. 1 car of Jamie McMurray, clipping him at the line by .011 seconds—a skill that he is well known for, earning him the nickname “The Closer.” Here is a look at some more of the greatest moments in a sparkling career.

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Superstars of the Speedway: Kevin Harvick

GREATEST

MOMENTS

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Greatest Moments

SECURES FIRST WIN AT CAMPING WORLD TRUCK SERIES In 1995, Kevin Harvick made his first appearance on a NASCAR truck track at the Camping World Truck Series. During his first season, he finished 27th in the points standings on the truck circuit. It would be seven long years before his hard work finally paid off. In 2002, Kevin put his pedal to the metal in Phoenix Raceway’s Chevy Silverado 150. Bound and determined to take home his first win, Harvick dug deep and put everything he’d learned over the past seven years to the test. When he gained the lead, he maintained it for the next 77 laps, needing two laps of overtime to get the win. This victory put him on the NASCAR map and was just the first of many amazing accomplishments to come.

Check out the ride that won Harvick his first victory in the Camping World Truck Series.

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Superstars of the Speedway: Kevin Harvick

FIRST BUSCH SERIES RACE WIN Kevin Harvick’s passion for racing pushed him to aspire beyond the Camping World Truck Series. After a one-race debut in 1999, Harvick signed to race 32 events in the Busch Series (currently known as the Xfinity Series) for Richard Childress Racing in 2000. He had a strong start to the season, with nine Top 10 finishes in his first 20 races. In race 21, he secured his first career Busch Series win on July 29th at Illinois’ Gateway International Raceway. This win was hard-fought, coming in his third try on the Gateway track (he raced there in the Truck Series in 1998 and 1999). Though his best finish was 11th place on his first two tries, there’s no doubt the track familiarity paid off. That year, he went on to win two more Xfinity Series races at Bristol and Memphis.

Harvick pilots the No. 2 Chevrolet to his first Busch Series win in 2000.

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Greatest Moments

NASCAR CUP SERIES DEBUT After a successful 2000 season in the Busch Series, Harvick was ready to move on to bigger and better things. Richard Childress Racing (RCR) agreed and scheduled him to drive part-time in the NASCAR Cup Series with a seven-race 2001 season. However, a tragedy changed those plans. On February 18, 2001, Harvick’s teammate and NASCAR legend Dale Earnhardt was killed in a crash during the season-opening Daytona 500. This horrific event opened a full-time spot on the RCR Cup Series team. So, Harvick made his first career appearance in the Cup Series the very next week, driving the No. 29 Chevy for RJR in the Dura Lube 400 at North Carolina Speedway. He finished a respectable 14th of 43 racers that day, a debut to what would shape up to be an impressive season. Besides his new full time spot on the Cup Series team, Harvick also maintained his planned Busch Series schedule, racing both days of the weekend all season.

Kevin Harvick makes his Cup Series debut from the 18th row at Rockingham.

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Superstars of the Speedway: Kevin Harvick

FIRST CUP SERIES VICTORY Jeff Gordon was Harvick’s main opponent to beat in the 2001 Cracker Barrel Old Country Store 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Gordon had won the previous week in Las Vegas and was fast again during qualifying in Atlanta. This was just Harvick’s third career Cup Series start, and the then three-time Cup Series champion Gordon and his car were again performing at championship level. Harvick started strong and, in fact, ran ahead of Gordon from the third lap on. With five laps to go, the rookie driver was running third, with Gordon lurking in fifth. That’s when Harvick decided to make his move, passing two cars to take the lead. Gordon had to scramble to stay close, moving up to second with three laps remaining. On the last lap, Gordon tried to catch him on the straightaway, but Harvick was just far enough ahead, winning by .006 seconds, the second-closest NASCAR finish ever.

Kevin Harvick secured his first Cup Series win in dramatic fashion.

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Greatest Moments

NAMED 2001 CUP SERIES ROOKIE OF THE YEAR Harvick’s accomplishments and contributions to NASCAR’s legacy earned him the title of Rookie of the Year for 2001. His win at the Atlanta Motor Speedway went down in history as one of the most emotional wins for NASCAR fans. Three weeks before the race, Dale Earnhardt died of crash-related injuries at the Daytona 500. When his team asked Harvick to finish the rest of the season for Earnhardt, he accepted. At Atlanta, Harvick took home the win in Dale Earnhardt’s place. For many NASCAR fans, this emotional moment reminded them that Earnhardt’s legacy would live on. At just 24 years old, Harvick was the underdog , so his win at this race was huge for the NASCAR community and is one of the reasons he is considered a “great” today. His victory in just his third race gave Harvick the record for fewest starts before winning in the Cup Series.

Kevin Harvick gives an acceptance speech after being awarded NASCAR’s 2001 Rookie of the Year.

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Superstars of the Speedway: Kevin Harvick

LAST-SECOND 2007 DAYTONA 500 WIN

Harvick’s first and only win at the Daytona 500 undoubtedly makes the list of his most impressive career victories. His reputation for spectacular wins in the last second of a race only became more prevalent after this race. Harvick was nowhere close to winning 198 laps into the race, sitting in eighth place. In fact, fellow NASCAR great Mark Martin held a healthy lead, and it seemed he had the win in the bag. However, Harvick had other plans. In the next 1.5 laps, he was able to quickly maneuver his way even with Martin. However, taking the first-place spot would be a challenge with four other cars right behind them. The veteran Martin was no stranger to defending his position on the speedway. However, when the race ended in a drag run between the two opponents, Harvick was able to take the checkered flag by just 0.02 seconds as a fiery crash unfolded behind them.

Watch Kevin Harvick’s last lap in the legendary 2007 Daytona 500.

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Greatest Moments

FIRST CUP SERIES CHAMPIONSHIP It’s no secret that prior to the 2014 season, Kevin Harvick had built an impressive career history that any NASCAR racer would be proud of. However, he was not done taking the sport by storm. That year, he finally secured his first championship in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. Only four racers qualified to participate in the cup: Harvick, Denny Hamlin, Ryan Newman, and Joey Logano. Though historically, the championship prize was determined by cumulative points in a 10-race playoff, NASCAR decided to switch it up. Instead, they would crown the champion in four rounds via an elimination-based model. For most of the 267-lap race, these four opponents were neck and neck. However, a combination of good decision-making, laser focus, and an amazing pit team crowned Harvick the overall champion.

Harvick takes first place in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship.

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Superstars of the Speedway: Kevin Harvick