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2020 Season in Review: Kevin Harvick

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Kevin Harvick wins the NASCAR Cup Series Southern 500 playoff race at Darlington Raceway after Martin Truex Jr. and Chase Elliott make contact and lose the lead.

Kevin Harvick

CREW CHIEF: Rodney Childers

TEAM: Stewart-Haas Racing

POINTS: Fifth in NASCAR Cup Series

WINS: Nine (Darlington I, Atlanta, Pocono I, Brickyard 400, Michigan I and II, Dover II, Southern 500, Bristol II)

LAPS LED: 1,531

TOP 5s: 20

TOP 10s: 27

POLES: Six (Kansas I, Daytona - Road Course, Daytona II, Richmond, Las Vegas II, Texas II)

WHAT WENT RIGHT: Harvick’s status as one of NASCAR’s standard-bearers doesn’t look to go away any time soon. His series-leading nine wins in 2020 made him the first driver to earn that many victories in a season since Carl Edwards in 2008. Additionally, they were the second-most victories in a season by a driver over the age of 44 (Lee Petty - 11 wins, 1959).

Harvick also had series-best marks in several other categories, including laps led, top-five finishes, top-10 finishes, average finish (7.3), and fastest laps run (862).

WHAT WENT WRONG: Harvick entered the Round of 8 cut race at Martinsville with a 42-point cushion to advance to the Championship 4, but an early tire failure and a poor-handling car contributed to an ill-fated afternoon.

With Chase Elliott on his way to victory, Harvick had to pass Kyle Busch for the one point he needed to make the title race in Phoenix. On the final lap, Harvick tried - and failed - to push Busch out of the way. 2020’s most dominant driver would not be one of the last four standing.

WHAT TO EXPECT IN 2021: Harvick and his crew chief Rodney Childers both took the events of Martinsville in stride. Despite missing the title race, the No. 4 team still enjoyed a tremendous season. Whether they’ll replicate that success in 2021 is to be determined, but Harvick is poised to remain one of the drivers to beat, week in and week out.