Has Kevin Harvick (at age 43) Lost A Step?

Kevin is definitely on his game, but man that team is just flat on it right now. Besides kevin I don't think anyone gives Rodney the praise he deserves

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Kevin is definitely on his game, but man that team is just flat on it right now. Besides kevin I don't think anyone gives Rodney the praise he deserves

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I think everyone agrees that Rodney is the driving force behind the success of the 4 car.
Kevin has the skills but the wins would not be there without Rodney. He was good enough to put a successful car on the track for 3 different drivers at MWR.
 
That is not a championship, it is the crown for winning the final season race.
Harvick already won the championship for 2020.
It is though. Baring a wreck or something freakish, the 4 car has been so much better than anyone else, that if they somehow get outperformed at Phoenix..after the season he's had..he doesn't deserve to be the champion. Sorry.

Fortunately, it won't matter, and he'll get it done.

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It is though. Baring a wreck or something freakish, the 4 car has been so much better than anyone else, that if they somehow get outperformed at Phoenix..after the season he's had..he doesn't deserve to be the champion. Sorry.

Fortunately, it won't matter, and he'll get it done.

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If there are 36 races and you win 10, that means you didn't win 26 races.
 
I think everyone agrees that Rodney is the driving force behind the success of the 4 car.
Kevin has the skills but the wins would not be there without Rodney. He was good enough to put a successful car on the track for 3 different drivers at MWR.

I disagree. I don't see enough wins at MWR and that's not to take away from what he did there. We all know wins don't come easy in this sport and there's more than any one or even two people responsible for them when they do. No doubt Harvick and Childers paired up is something special but, sorry, I just don't see one being more responsible than the other for all of that team's success over the years.
 
I disagree. I don't see enough wins at MWR and that's not to take away from what he did there. We all know wins don't come easy in this sport and there's more than any one or even two people responsible for them when they do. No doubt Harvick and Childers paired up is something special but, sorry, I just don't see one being more responsible than the other for all of that team's success over the years.
Your welcome to your opinion, I won't argue that. However we have watched Kevin for years and he did his share of wining at Childress but not at the same level as he has done with Rodney.
 
Eh, there is no question it takes both driver and crew chief and a hell of a lot more than that behind them to have a dominant team in the sport. I don't know how much longer the 4 team can hold it together, it is not a common thing for a driver this old to be doing what Harvick and the rest of the 4 team are accomplishing
 
Harvick will win the championship. Period. Great car. Great crew chief. Great driver. Can't be stopped. Betcha Rodney feels so good about it that he has put his blade kit away for the winter already.
 
Harvick will win the championship. Period. Great car. Great crew chief. Great driver. Can't be stopped. Betcha Rodney feels so good about it that he has put his blade kit away for the winter already.
I dunno about that, man, Rodney still has The Preacher's cars to contend with... and they haven't put anything away for the winter yet. All the Toyotas were cheated up at Bristol with illegal bodies (first inspection failure) *and* illegal rear steer suspensions (second inspection failure).

I doubt Rodney Childers will get complacent as long as Pious Joe has cars on the track and Bondo in the hauler... :idunno:
 
So if Harvick wins championship #2 this year, along with 60 career wins (and 8 crown Jewel wins) in his 20 year career, is that enough to put him above Tony Stewart on the all time list for you guys?


Or was Tony's 3 championships in 10 years and 49 wins in 15 years still too much for Harvs resume to over come?

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I'm not sure you can put than on the same scale. Or at least I can't. As far as stock car racing I'd put them very close to one another. In the current championship format I think you can no longer use championships are a measurement of success.

Now when it comes down to true racers I'd still put Tony ahead. He's been successful in every form of racing he's ever tried.

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Harvick will win the championship. Period. Great car. Great crew chief. Great driver. Can't be stopped. Betcha Rodney feels so good about it that he has put his blade kit away for the winter already.
I just can't believe it. I remember 13 years ago, he was just another Kasey Kahne. Count on him for a win or two, maybe a 4 win break out season, but nothing crazy.

Kevin Harvick's rookie season was 7 years earlier than Carl Edwards'. There was a point when Carl had more career wins than Harvick. Carl stepped away with 28. Kevin is creeping up on 60.

This has got to be the best 'over 40' run ever.

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I'm not sure you can put than on the same scale. Or at least I can't. As far as stock car racing I'd put them very close to one another. In the current championship format I think you can no longer use championships are a measurement of success.

Now when it comes down to true racers I'd still put Tony ahead. He's been successful in every form of racing he's ever tried.

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Sort of measuring cup careers here. A cup championship is a cup championship. Especially because of the way Kevin would have won his first and his second.

That said, I don't think anyone would argue against Tony being the better talent. I'm just looking at cup careers.

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I just can't believe it. I remember 13 years ago, he was just another Kasey Kahne. Count on him for a win or two, maybe a 4 win break out season, but nothing crazy.

Kevin Harvick's rookie season was 7 years earlier than Carl Edwards'. There was a point when Carl had more career wins than Harvick. Carl stepped away with 28. Kevin is creeping up on 60.

This has got to be the best 'over 40' run ever.

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Look at what rcr has done since he left. Harvick was a super star long before he had the equipment to prove it. Even now, nobody else is anywhere near him in the same organization. The highly touted Kurt bush couldn't get a wiff of his success at shr. Neither did tony.
 
So if Harvick wins championship #2 this year, along with 60 career wins (and 8 crown Jewel wins) in his 20 year career, is that enough to put him above Tony Stewart on the all time list for you guys?


Or was Tony's 3 championships in 10 years and 49 wins in 15 years still too much for Harvs resume to over come?

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If Harvick gets 3 championships and more wins then yes he vaults ahead of Tony.
 
Look at what rcr has done since he left. Harvick was a super star long before he had the equipment to prove it. Even now, nobody else is anywhere near him in the same organization. The highly touted Kurt bush couldn't get a wiff of his success at shr. Neither did tony.
Tony won a championship, and was very good in 2009 as well. Childers and Kevin is much like Tony and Zippy.

Also, RCR gave Kevin some speed. 2006, 2010, and 2013 in particular he was pretty fast. Kevin is better now than he's ever been. I don't think Kevin in good equipment would be doing this pre-2010. I've said this in another thread, but being in great equipment makes a good driver great, and a great driver exceptional. Suddenly, you don't need to overdrive the car to make more speed..you already have it. SHR gave Kevin the opportunity to really sharpen his skillet, and fatherhood slowed him down.

2010 Harvick isnt dominating today like this in the 4 car. On the other hand, today's Harvick wins 10 or so more races in the 29 between 2001-2013 imo.

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Harv.png


In terms of average finish, Harvick is still on pace to set the lowest in the last 20 years since 99' Dale Jarrett's 6.76

Clearly having the superior season to Hamlin across the board
 
Ford has 18 wins this year....strangely no bitching about that....Anyway.....Harvick has half of them. What a remarkable season. Where would Ford be without him?
 
So if Harvick wins championship #2 this year, along with 60 career wins (and 8 crown Jewel wins) in his 20 year career, is that enough to put him above Tony Stewart on the all time list for you guys?


Or was Tony's 3 championships in 10 years and 49 wins in 15 years still too much for Harvs resume to over come?

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I think he is already better than Stewart even if he never wins another race.
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One of the most unforgettable races in motorsports

Not just that last win against Edward's although the intensity of that race was unbelievable. But to go on a tear like he did and win all those races in the chase. Has there ever been any other like it? It was just downright badass.
 
Not just that last win against Edward's although the intensity of that race was unbelievable. But to go on a tear like he did and win all those races in the chase. Has there ever been any other like it? It was just downright badass.
Didn't JJ do the same thing 1 year?
 
Didn't JJ do the same thing 1 year?

He probably did. I dunno. I didn't get back to watching/following the sport again until about 2009 or 2010 after about 12-15 years of ignoring it and let's just say it never really made my day to see Johnson win another race or championship.
 
Ultimately I think championships trump wins. And Tony's 2011 championship was a sight to behold watching it as it happened.
He also was much quicker to 45+ wins, than Kevin was and won 3 titles in 10 seasons.

Harv is awesome right now, but if he somehow loses the title this year, I can't see this even being a discussion.

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He probably did. I dunno. I didn't get back to watching/following the sport again until about 2009 or 2010 after about 12-15 years of ignoring it and let's just say it never really made my day to see Johnson win another race or championship.
Tony won 5/10 races in the Chase, which is a record. Jimmie won 4/10 in 2004, 2007, and 2009

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I think everyone agrees that Rodney is the driving force behind the success of the 4 car.
Kevin has the skills but the wins would not be there without Rodney. He was good enough to put a successful car on the track for 3 different drivers at MWR.

I'm going to give Kevin credit for insisting on Rodney as his crew chief.....and I also don't think that Kevin gets the credit he deserves, honestly. He has a unique driving style that transcends what a package wants/needs.
 
Q: IF KEVIN HARVICK GETS ONE MORE WIN THAT WOULD BE 10 AND HE WOULD BE ONE OF ONLY THREE DRIVERS TO DO THAT IN THE LAST 25 YEARS, AND HE WOULD BE AT AN AGE WHEN MOST DRIVERS ARE LOOKING AT RETIRING. IS THIS A PROGRESSION OF DRIVERS CAN HAVE GREATER SUCCESS AT OLDER AGES AND WE SHOULDN’T BE JUDGING THEM WHEN THEY REACH AGE 40?

 
I'm going to give Kevin credit for insisting on Rodney as his crew chief.....and I also don't think that Kevin gets the credit he deserves, honestly. He has a unique driving style that transcends what a package wants/needs.
He epitomizes the "shortest way around the track" style. The only reason we saw him in the upper groove at Kansas was because he was trying to get air on his nose.

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I'm going to give Kevin credit for insisting on Rodney as his crew chief.....and I also don't think that Kevin gets the credit he deserves, honestly. He has a unique driving style that transcends what a package wants/needs.
Stories are abound. I read when SHR offered Rodney a job and his reply was only for Harvick. When he is gone so am I.
Maybe I read to much.
 
I think Rodney is one of the best, just look how competitive Brian Vickers was and Mark was pretty competitive in the 55 All Star car.

But Harvick has always been superb.
 
He epitomizes the "shortest way around the track" style. The only reason we saw him in the upper groove at Kansas was because he was trying to get air on his nose.

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It is really cool to hear him work the throttle while doing so....something the 550 package kind of takes away. I mean the patience he has to let it roll center before getting back to the throttle. First, mere mortals wouldn't want to lift when he does, second, mere mortals would want to get back to the power sooner, and finally, mere mortals would want to give all the power right away. Pretty cool.
 
Stories are abound. I read when SHR offered Rodney a job and his reply was only for Harvick. When he is gone so am I.
Maybe I read to much.

I heard that too.
 
It is really cool to hear him work the throttle while doing so....something the 550 package kind of takes away. I mean the patience he has to let it roll center before getting back to the throttle. First, mere mortals wouldn't want to lift when he does, second, mere mortals would want to get back to the power sooner, and finally, mere mortals would want to give all the power right away. Pretty cool.
I was watching the 07 Autoclub race won by Matt Kenseth. All sorts of passing that race. There was one particular lap where the coverage put us on board with Harvick, back in the 29. 202 down the back, and lifted down to 157, and he got back in the gas very late. Ironically, a few laps earlier DW was talking about Tony Stewart's late entry for a fast drive off (pass for the lead) and how this is the way to make speed. Harvick, like we've talked about before, seems to drive it in pretty deeply and didn't seem to really work the throttle until the car settles.

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Stories are abound. I read when SHR offered Rodney a job and his reply was only for Harvick. When he is gone so am I.
Maybe I read to much.
I think Rodney eluded to the fact that he's done when harvick is done when he was on Jrs podcast
 
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