RacingNation.com

Harvick And Stewart Possess Similar Personalities

Tony Stewart, the owner, is at the cusp of another NASCAR Sprint Cup Championship. [Chris Trotman/NASCAR via Getty Images]

Homestead, Fla. – NASCAR championship finalist Kevin Harvick and his team’s co-owner Tony Stewart are free spirits that say what is on their minds and leave no stone unturned when it comes to winning races and championships.

Stewart has taken the highly coveted NASCAR Sprint Cup championship three times, including a memorable run three years ago at the Homestead-Miami Speedway when he became the first driver to win the final race and the championship at the same time.

Harvick, who gravitated to Stewart-Haas Racing in 2014, comes into Ford EcoBoost 400 as the odds-on favorite to take the coveted Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup but to do so, he must perform better than his three challengers — Denny Hamlin, Ryan Newman and Joey Logano. The highest finishing driver from this quartet will be crowned NASCAR champion shortly after sundown on Sunday evening.

According to the Las Vegas odds-makers, Harvick is the favorite at 3/2 with Logano 9/4, Hamlin 7/2 and Newman 9/2. Several outlets have similar odds in play as the 36th race of the year nears conclusion.

Three years ago Stewart needled Carl Edwards non-stop going into the race and even though they ended up in a tie, Stewart’s seasonal report card tilted the championship in his favor. Whether Stewart’s prodding got under the skin of Edwards is not known but it did make for good press. Also, it made his mentor A. J. Foyt proud, as he was known to be the consummate needler.

Harvick, who has a reputation for goading others, has picked up the baton from Stewart by needling Logano this week. At the Championship Four press conference on Thursday, Harvick wondered out loud whether Brad Keselowski would set blocks for Logano similar to the way the duo worked together at Talladega a month ago. Keselowski won that action-packed race.

While Logano feigned surprise with the chiding, Harvick let it be known that Karma plays a role. “In the end, Karma catches up with you and I’m a firm believer in Karma,” Harvick said. “At some point, it comes full circle.”

Three years ago Stewart reportedly said he would wreck his mother to win a championship, but when asked if that thought process is still in play, he refused to be drawn into the fray.

“I think it’s a lot of fun, and it was a lot of fun messing with Carl (Edwards) three years ago, and I’m sure that Kevin has been having fun. But when it comes to getting in the car, it’s down to business as usual.”

Stewart went on to say, “ I’ve seen a fire and determination in Kevin Sunday night and through this week that I haven’t seen all year. I’ve never seen somebody that has been so excited at an opportunity to be really nervous. He’s been more excited than nervous, and I think that’s something I’ve neon really excited to see as an owner.”

Harvick would dearly like to deliver for Stewart and co-owner Gene Haas. “To win it with Tony and Gene would be something
that means a lot to me because of my friendship with Tony and the chance they took to start this team. I am fortunate to have an owner who has driven it as the owner and the driver in our company, and to be able to call him as a friend.”

Harvick understands what Stewart has been through in last two years , and he’s determined to bring home the trophy for his friend. “. . . to be able to put an end to that story and put something really good on top of everything that Tony has had going on in his life would be really neat for me personally.”

With momentum on his side, Harvick is the logical favorite to win the championship, but the race distance is 400 miles and anything can happen during this intense period of high-speed action.

Share Button