Entering 2016: Harvick enters his 17th Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series season and his fourth at Stewart-Haas Racing (SHR) with crew chief Rodney Childers at the helm. In their first three seasons together, Harvick and Childers combined to produce 12 victories, 11 poles, 54 top-five finishes and 75 top-10s; led 5,815 laps; won the 2014 Cup Series title; finished runner-up in 2015 to champion Kyle Busch and eighth in 2016.
2007 Daytona 500 Champion: Harvick won the 2007 Daytona 500 when he beat NASCAR Hall of Famer Mark Martin to the finish line by .020 of a second on the final green-white-checkered restart. It was the closest Daytona 500 finish since the start of computer scoring in 2003.
Wins at Daytona: In addition to his three wins in The Clash at Daytona, Harvick has four other victories at the famed 2.5-mile racetrack – two NASCAR Cup Series points-paying races (February 2007, July 2010), a non-points event (2013 Can-Am Duel) and a win in the NASCAR Xfinity Series (February 2007).
Harvick in the NASCAR Cup Series at Daytona: The 59th Daytona 500 will mark Harvick’s 32nd career Cup Series start at Daytona. Harvick has two wins, nine top-five finishes and 14 top-10s at the famed 2.5-mile racetrack. The 2014 NASCAR Cup Series champion has led 179 laps, has an average starting position of 16.7 and average finish of 16.1, and has completed 89.9 percent (4,875 of 5,423) of the laps he’s contested there.
Career Totals: Harvick has 35 wins, 154 top-five finishes, 284 top-10s and 17 poles in 574 career NASCAR Cup Series starts heading into the 59th Daytona 500.
Harvick the Broadcaster: Harvick will be in the FOX broadcast booth to call the NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Daytona Saturday, Feb. 25. This will mark Harvick’s 2016 broadcast debut and his first of eight scheduled broadcasts. He will be in the booth for five Xfinity races and three NASCAR Camping World Truck Series events.
Harvick in the Xfinity Series at Daytona: Harvick has 19 career starts in the Xfinity Series at Daytona. Harvick has one win, three poles, 12 top-five finishes and 14 top-10s. He has led 230 laps, has an average starting position of 8.8 and average finish of 7.6, and has completed 99.2 percent (2,102 of 2,119) of the laps he’s contested there.
Harvick in the Rolex 24 at Daytona: Harvick drove the No. 90 Flis Motorsports car in the American GT class of the 2002 Rolex 24 at Daytona. The four-man team consisted of Harvick, Dave Liniger, Rick Carelli and John Metcalf. The team finished eighth in class; a mechanical issue forced the car’s retirement after completing 123 of 716 laps.
Harvick in the IROC Series at Daytona: Harvick, the 2002 IROC champion, made three starts at Daytona in the series with a best finish of seventh in 2003 and 2004.
SHR at Daytona: In 46 overall starts at Daytona, SHR-prepared cars have earned one pole (Danica Patrick, February 2013), two wins (Tony Stewart, July 2009 and July 2012), 10 top-five finishes and 15 top-10s; have been atop the leaderboard for 262 laps; and have completed 92.1 percent (7,443 of 8,083) of the laps contested.
Preseason Testing: Harvick and the No. 4 team made the on-track debut of the No. 4 Ford Fusion as part of a NASCAR test at Phoenix International Raceway on Tuesday, January 31 and Wednesday, February 1.
Jimmy John’s at Daytona: Jimmy John’s will be the primary sponsor of the No. 4 Ford for 16 Cup Series races in 2017, highlighted by making its second appearance in the “Great American Race” – the Daytona 500 – on Feb. 26. Jimmy John’s will serve as a major associate sponsor of the No. 4 Ford in the remaining 22 races.
TIL NEXT TIME, I AM STILL WORKING ON MY REDNECK!
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