Red-hot Harvick rolls at Phoenix

Associated Press

AVONDALE, Ariz.

There have been dominant drivers in NASCAR before, seasons where Jeff Gordon or Jimmie Johnson would reel off win after win to break the spirits of the rest of the garage.

Dale Earnhardt had stretches where he was unbeatable, Tony Stewart’s had his share of hot streaks, and Rusty Wallace had an unbelievable 1993 season that opened with four wins in eight races.

But it has been 41 years since NASCAR has seen a run like the one Kevin Harvick is making across the country.

The defending Sprint Cup champion won his fourth consecutive race at Phoenix International Raceway on Sunday with yet another rout of the field. The 42 other drivers knew this was Harvick’s race to win, and he made it look easy.

He led more than 200 laps for the third straight time at Phoenix, where he has won five of the last six races and a record seven overall.

More important, he continued a streak of dominance that dates to last season. He has seven consecutive top-two finishes and has won four of the last six races, which includes the final two of last year’s championship season. Dating back to the Chase last season, Harvick has won five of the last 10 races.

He opened this season with two runner-up finishes, then won last week at Las Vegas and now Phoenix.

The last driver score seven consecutive top-two finishes? Hall of Famer Richard Petty in 1974.

“When you said the Richard Petty part, that gives me chills,” Harvick said after learning the Petty stat.

He then praised his Rodney Childers-led team, which has given him unbelievable race cars since he first climbed in the No. 4 Chevrolet in late 2013.

“I feel like we get better as we go through different situations,” Harvick said. “You see these guys hang out together, how mellow everybody is, how everybody gets along. It’s really, really special to be a part of. It’s scary how well we get along with each other. I don’t want to talk about it sometimes so I don’t jinx it.”

Harvick now heads to California looking to sweep NASCAR’s three-race West Coast swing. It’s not out of the question, particularly with how well he’s running. But Harvick won at Auto Club Speedway in 2011, and has been among the best drivers there since 2009.

“I think at this point, everybody just expects you to keep winning. That’s what makes it hard on all of us,” Childers said.