2008 Preseason No. 10: Kevin Harvick

No. 29 Pennzoil/Shell Chevy

2008 Spin
The 2009 season is already being portrayed as the year of the great team rivalry: Hendrick Motorsports versus Joe Gibbs Racing. But if 2007 was any indication, Richard Childress Racing should be included in that mix.

Childress placed all three of its teams in last year’s Chase, with each finishing in the top 10, including Kevin Harvick. He won both the Daytona 500 and the All-Star Challenge and ended the season 10th in points. Still, it was a disappointing season aside from the two big wins for Harvick. He saw his team outdone by both RCR teammates while his Shell/Pennzoil group struggled through a second half that witnessed a fight with Juan Pablo Montoya at the Glen and a total of 20 laps led in the final 16 events.

In order for Harvick to bounce back, RCR will need to beef up its Car of Tomorrow program, which lagged behind that of Hendrick Motorsports despite testing more extensively than any other team in ’07. In 16 CoT starts, Harvick’s average finish was a 15.1. Now that the Cup Series is running the CoT exclusively, Childress needs to make sure his program is up to snuff out of the gate. With crew chief Todd Berrier, sponsor Shell/Pennzoil, and Harvick all signed to long-term deals, the stability should make it easier to whip things back into shape. Meanwhile, Harvick will continue to face the difficult job of balancing his responsibilities as a full-time driver in Cup, a part-time driver in other racing series and the owner of his own company. Kevin Harvick, Inc. fields multiple teams in both the Nationwide and Craftsman Truck Series — winning its first title in Trucks with Ron Hornaday last year. 

Though it may seem like an overwhelming task to combine ownership duties with the many obligations he faces as a Cup Series driver, Harvick shrugs off any suggestion that he and wife DeLana are not up to the task. “We really enjoy what we’re doing right now,” he says. “We’re able to manage our time and manage our businesses.”

With a little luck, he’ll manage to reclaim his status as No. 1 on the RCR totem pole, too.

Opposing Crew Chiefs’ Take
“They got off to such a good start, then the consistency fell way off. There’s no in-between with that team, and a lot of it’s attitude. Kevin beats himself, and sometimes his attitude kills him. … I’ve always thought he’s more show than go. He’s a great promoter of himself, but a different person when radio/TV’s not paying attention. Harvick’s got a lot of talent, but not stable enough to get the job done for the championship. … They (Richard Childress Racing) promote themselves so well, but if their cars were with Hendrick Motorsports, they’d be having bad seasons. … When all the tools are in place, you should compete for a championship.”

Fantasy Stall
Looking at Checkers: The flatter the better.
Pretty Solid Pick: He’s been good for a top 10 in almost half of his career short track starts.
Good Sleeper Pick: This Californian can to turn it left and right.
Runs on Seven Cylinders: Squeezing out a Daytona 500 win doesn’t make him a plate-master.
Insider Tip: He runs fairly consistently on all track types, but the edge goes to the flats.

For more in-depth driver news and hard-hitting features, order your 2008 Athlon Sports Racing Annual here.