2014 Driver Reviews: No. 1 Kevin Harvick
After doing exit interviews for Sprint Cup Series drivers in 2013, we're turning the tables. We want the drivers to sell themselves. So here are the resumés for all full-time Sprint Cup Series drivers in 2014. Then, at the end, we'll provide a summation of the driver's season in 150 words or less.
Name: Kevin Harvick
NASCAR Experience: Essentially 14 full seasons in the Sprint Cup Series. 28 wins. Champion.
Most recent team: Stewart-Haas Racing
Most recent season finish: 1st
2014 accomplishments: Five wins, 14 top-five finishes, 20 top 10s and eight poles.
Most memorable moment: Pretty obvious, isn't it?
Outside of the title, it's the second race of the season. Everyone got a look at the speed they'd see throughout the season.
Strengths: Jumped into a new team and was successful right away. Always one of the fastest drivers near the end of a Sprint Cup Series race.
2015 goals: Double it up.
FTM's Take: While a title by Ryan Newman or Denny Hamlin could have been considered fluky, the fastest car throughout the 2014 season won the title. And in the new format, that's about all we can ask for right?
And it's also imperative to cherish the battle that Harvick had with his three competitors during that Homestead race. We may never see an incredible scenario like that again, as counting on all four title-eligible drivers to run nose-to-tail at times is a foolish game.
It's also a worthy achievement for Harvick, who has been one of the best drivers in the Cup Series since he stepped in after Dale Earnhardt's death in 2001. Outside of down years in 2002 and 2009, he's finished in the top 15 of the standings in each season. And in the years after each of those seasons, he's finished in the top five.
Will he stay at the top of the heap in 2015? Probably, though a bigger achievement may be having the fastest car of the season for a second straight year. If Harvick and crew chief Rodney Childers have a formula that no one else does, watch out.
Previous reviews: No. 3 Denny Hamlin, No. 4 Joey Logano, No. 5 Brad Keselowski, No. 6 Jeff Gordon, No. 7 Matt Kenseth, No. 8 Dale Earnhardt Jr., No. 9 Carl Edwards, No. 10 Kyle Busch, No. 11 Jimmie Johnson, No. 12 Kurt Busch, No. 13 AJ Allmendinger, No. 14 Greg Biffle, No. 15 Kasey Kahne, No. 16 Aric Almirola, No. 17 Kyle Larson, No. 18, Jamie McMurray, No. 19 Clint Bowyer, No. 20, Austin Dillon, No. 21 Paul Menard, No. 22 Brian Vickers, No. 23 Marcos Ambrose, No. 24 Martin Truex Jr., No. 25 Tony Stewart, No. 26 Casey Mears, No. 27 Ricky Stenhouse Jr., No. 28, Danica Patrick, No. 29, Justin Allgaier, No. 30, David Gilliland, No. 31 Cole Whitt, No. 32 David Ragan, No. 33 Michael Annett, No. 34 Reed Sorenson, No. 35 Alex Bowman
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Nick Bromberg is the editor of From The Marbles on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at nickbromberg@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!
