2007
Kicked off the season with a "Daytona Sweep" - winning the
Orbitz 300 Busch Series race on February 17, then the Daytona
500 - his first 500 victory - on February 18. Beat Mark
Martin to the line by .02 seconds. One of only four
drivers to complete a Daytona Sweep.
Won the 2007 NEXTEL All-Star Challenge.
The
11-time NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series winner jumped to the
lead as the final 20-lap segment of the four-segment race
began. He started the final segment in the second row and
instantly moved to the lead and never gave it back.
On July 14, Kevin won the USG Durock 300, becoming the first
repeat Busch Series race winner at Chicagoland Speedway.
On August 4, he won the inaugural Busch Series race at
Circuit Gilles Villeneuve in Montreal, Canada. It was
Kevin's 30th career Busch Series race, and he was only the
third driver ever to reach that mark.
Just one week later, Kevin took back-to-back Busch Series
road course victories by winning the Zippo 200 at Watkins
Glen. With 31 career NBS wins, Kevin now sits in
second on the all-time win list, tied with Jack Ingram.
On August 15 at Sharon Speedway in Hartford, Ohio, Kevin
participated in the "NASCAR Duel," a dirt-track racing event
featuring a handful of fellow NEXTEL Cup Series drivers.
He participated in the e-mod feature, starting fourth.
After leading the early part of the race, Kevin fell to
second, only to reel in - and pass - the leader in the closing
laps, winning the event. It was Kevin's first victory on
a dirt track.
On Saturday, September 8, Kevin headed to Richmond
International Raceway for the Chevy Rock & Roll 400 NEXTEL Cup
Series race. He was embroiled in a three-way battle for
the final two spots in the 12-man roster for the 2007 Chase
for the NEXTEL Cup. In 12th place in points, Harvick
needed to finish 32nd or better - no matter what 13th-place
Dale Earnhardt Jr. did in the race - to clinch. Harvick
had his work cut out for him as he dodged a wreck early on,
only to drive through the grass and clog his front grill with
debris and, in turn, overheat his engine. Later, he came
within inches of being caught up in a second wreck as the 41
car spun out directly ahead of him. In the end, Harvick
fought back and did what he needed to do, finishing seventh in
the event and entering his second career Chase for the NEXTEL
Cup.
Kevin won the O'Reilly Challenge Busch Series race at Texas
Motor Speedway on November 3, making him the second-winningest
driver in NBS history and giving him the most NBS wins at
Texas Motor Speedway. The victory, Kevin's sixth of the
season, was his 32nd career NBS win - moving him ahead of Jack
Ingram to second on the all-time wins list. He is
currently 15 wins behind all-time wins leader, Mark Martin.
Kevin Harvick: Career Highlights