2007 Preseason No. 5: Kevin Harvick

No. 29 Shell/Pennzoil/Reese’s Chevy

2007 Spin
After the wildly successful season Kevin Harvick enjoyed in 2006, he can’t wait for Speedweeks in February. With a new contract in hand, Harvick’s confidence and performance were at an all-time high. And that’s saying something.

The strength of the organization as a whole helped Harvick reaffirm his position as one of NASCAR’s brightest talents. Richard Childress finally has the right combination of talent in his stable of drivers. Harvick, Jeff Burton and Clint Bowyer are the perfect cross-section of drivers on the circuit today.

Childress has Burton, the crafty veteran and driver spokesman; Harvick, the self-assured hot shoe in his prime; and Bowyer, the rookie with a promising future and able tutors. The on-track performance of these three put RCR back on the map and proved the future is once again bright for this once-great organization.

Expect Harvick to make a run back into the Chase in 2007. The five wins he earned in ’06 may be the ceiling for this group, but it’ll do.

Childress has accepted the Car of Tomorrow, so we don’t see too much of a problem with it within the organization. He claims to be in the process of building 21 COTs and should have them ready to go at Bristol in March.

Regardless, Harvick is a wheelman who should slide into the new shell. Actually, he seems to be chomping at the bit to get it out in race conditions.

The one issue to watch with Harvick is his temperament. When he gets down, he has a tendency to become counter-productive and hard to deal with. He’s a throwback racer in a lot of ways, which can be a good thing. If Childress can keep things rolling along, cutting down on the edgy setups that ruined a few RCR afternoons last year, Harvick will once again prosper.

Fantasy Stall
Looking at Checkers: The flatter the better. Phoenix and New Hampshire come to mind.
Pretty Solid Pick: Short tracks. Any of ’em.
Good Sleeper Pick: He’s not usually considered a sleeper.
Runs on Seven Cylinders: He sometimes struggles on the big intermediates.
Insider Tip: He’s good most anywhere and a fine addition to any fantasy team.

2006 Performance Rankings
Flat Track Ranking: 1st — Best Finish: 1st, New Hampshire and Phoenix (2)
Intermediate Track Ranking: 17th — Best Finish: 3rd, Dover and Texas
Plate Track Ranking: 7th — Best Finish: 6th, Talladega
Road Course Ranking: 5th — Best Finish: 1st, Watkins Glen
Short Track Ranking: 1st — Best Finish: 1st, Richmond

Find Kevin Harvick's complete preview in the 2007 Athlon Sports' Racing Magazine