It seems fitting now that Kevin Harvick tried intimidating fellow Chase for the Sprint Cup finalist Joey Logano during a Chase finale press conference last week as Harvick has long been known as the driver that replaced the man referred to as “The Intimidator,” Dale Earnhardt Sr. But on Sunday, Harvick became known as something else: NASCAR Cup series champion.
The man with nicknames such as “Happy” and “The Closer” had long been still in the shadow of Earnhardt, one of the greatest and most revered drivers in NASCAR history. After Earnhardt died in a crash during the Daytona 500 in 2001, it was the unknown and unproven Harvick who was called upon by team owner Richard Childress to step into the car.
Harvick made an immediate impact sitting in Earnhardt’s former driver’s seat, as he won his first Cup series race at Atlanta in just his third start.
Harvick had varying degrees of success over the next 12 years, as he won multiple races in a season four times ”“ including five in 2006 ”“ and had eight top-10 points finishes.
The “Dale Earnhardt’s replacement” moniker wore off some with time, but while he was with Richard Childress Racing, there was a feeling that Harvick was still driving Earnhardt’s car. This despite a number change from 3 to 29 when he took over and a different car color for the first few seasons after the switch.
Harvick seemingly shed being the replacement last offseason when he left Childress for Stewart-Haas Racing. Harvick finally got a car he could call his own, but he still hadn’t proven anything.
Then 2014 happened.
Harvick tied a career-high with five wins in his first go-around with SHR. Two of those might have been the two biggest wins of the season regardless of driver.
They were the last two races of the season. Harvick’s win in the penultimate race of the season at Phoenix locked up his spot in the Chase for the Sprint Cup Championship finale. Then on Sunday, “The Closer” earned that nickname for sure, as Harvick won a mad-dash race at Homestead-Miami Speedway as he beat fellow finalist Ryan Newman to win his first Cup championship.
When Harvick stepped out of his car in victory lane ”“ as both race winner and series champion ”“ he also took the final step out of Dale Earnhardt Sr.’s shadow. Harvick, in a car of his own, won a championship of his own. He didn’t do it in “the old No. 3” but the new No. 4.
Earnhardt won all of his seven titles in the old championship format, as a season-long points accumulation determined the series champion.
Harvick won the most intense series championship NASCAR has ever held. Harvick had to win to qualify for the 10-race Chase. He then had to survive three three-race segments that whittled down the championship field from 16 drivers to four. He earned a pair of top-five finishes to get into the second round, then won races in each of the next two segments to qualify for the championship finale.
Harvick proved to be an able playoff performer, but yet, he also was a worthy competitor from start to finish in 2014. He won two races during the 26-race “regular season” and could have won more if not for some pit road mishaps.
Harvick won in the second race of the season, at Phoenix, and after finishing 36th or worse in four of the next five races, was one of the most steady drivers in the series the rest of the year. Harvick had the look of a champion all year ”“ save for that five-game stretch.
That look became picture perfect on Sunday as Harvick was crowned the champion. And Happy Harvick, “The Closer,” added “Champion” to his multitude of monikers.
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