Kevin Harvick is a three-race winner in 2019 and a former Monster Energy Series champion (2014), but he is adamant his No. 4 Stewart-Haas Racing team will keep its eyes forward.
He advances to the Round of 8 for the sixth consecutive season and arrives at Martinsville Speedway a former winner (2011) – one of only four current Playoff drivers that has won a series trophy on the challenging venue.
Harvick would like, however, to claim another and ensure his position in the Championship 4 round for the third straight season. He starts this penultimate round of the Playoffs ranked fifth – one position behind where he will need to be to earn that championship opportunity Nov. 17 at Homestead-Miami Speedway.
He has seven top-10 finishes in the 11 Martinsville races he’s competed in for Stewart-Haas Racing, bested by a pair of fifth-place finishes in the 2017 Playoff race and the 2018 Spring race.
He’s been among the top 10 in the last four races, but hasn’t led a lap at Martinsville since March 2016. His average finish of 15.1 is sixth best of the remaining eight title contenders.
Harvick has reason to be confident, however. He’s finished seventh or better in three of the five previous short track races and is averaging a 13.8-place finish at short tracks this year He is a two-time Bristol, Tenn. winner and a three-time Richmond, Va. winner so this style of competition suits the 2014 Cup champion.
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