DOVER, Del. — Like most former winners at Dover Motor Speedway, it took Kevin Harvick plenty of tries to break into victory lane on the NASCAR Cup Series level at The Monster Mile.
In fact, all three of Harvick’s victories came after his departure from Richard Childress Racing prior to the 2014 season, with his first coming at the age of 38.
As Harvick enters Monday’s Wurth 400, it’ll be his 43rd and final start at Dover with retirement on the horizon at season’s end.
What will the 47-year-old remember the most when leaving the track for one final time?
“It’s been a good race track for us in the four car. So, it’s been really enjoyable to run well here and win races here,” Harvick told SPEED SPORT. “It’s a race track that I’ve grown to really enjoy and understand.
“It’s another one of those moments where it’s the last one, so I’m excited about the way that we’ve ran and, hopefully, we can have a good weekend.”
While it turned out to be a strong track for the 2014 champion, that wasn’t the case prior to Harvick’s tenure at Stewart-Haas Racing.
Without any wins at Dover in the No. 29 RCR Chevrolet, Harvick only amassed 12 top 10s in 26 starts at the concrete oval.
Harvick’s Dover Turnaround
Moving over to SHR meant a fresh slate.
Furthermore, Harvick’s crew chief Rodney Childers became the difference maker at a place Harvick didn’t hold in high regard before changing teams.
Kevin Harvick takes the checkered flag to win the 2020 Drydene 311 at Dover Motor Speedway. (HHP/Andrew Coppley)
“When I came to Stewart-Haas Racing in 2014, there were a few tracks that we had circled, and Dover was definitely one of those race tracks where, I’m sure he looked at the results and thought, ‘Man, what in the world? This guy is scared to death of something or he can’t drive’ or whatever the problem was at Dover,” Harvick said.
“But he (Childers) sat down with me before we went to Dover for the very first time and was like, ‘Hey, here’s what we’re going to do. We are not going to run bad at Dover. Just forget everything that you’ve experienced before and we’re going to start over right here because it’s one of my favorite race tracks.’
“And I’m thinking to myself, ‘Oh, great, the race track that I would consider probably one of my top-three worst race tracks is one of his favorite race tracks.’
“So immediately that put a lot of pressure on me to have to go out and try to do the best that we can, and really from day one at Stewart-Haas Racing, we have run well at Dover and it’s been one of our best racetracks,” Harvick continued.
“But that’s purely because of the focus and mental mindset that Rodney instilled from day one.”
Childers’ refreshing mindset worked wonders.
In 16 starts at Dover since joining SHR, Harvick has 11 top 10s, including three victories.
Harvick’s first win at Dover came in the fall of 2015. Three years later, Harvick won the spring Dover race with a dominant performance that saw him lead more than half the race.
Though 2020 was a milestone race at Dover for both Harvick and Ford as the California native gave the manufacturer its 700th Cup Series victory.
Needless to say after their immense success, Harvick and Childers found a winning formula at one of NASCAR’s toughest race tracks.
When the Cup Series field takes the green flag at Dover, Harvick will look to capture one final ‘Miles The Monster’ trophy to add to his ever-growing collection.
Keyword: Harvick: One Final Battle On Dover Concrete