Sunday’s Geico 500 at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway marked a milestone for Stewart-Haas Racing’s Kevin Harvick.
When the green flag waved, it was Harvick’s 800th career start in the NASCAR Cup Series, dating back to 2001.
The accomplishment puts Harvick in an exclusive list as one of only 10 drivers to reach 800 starts. The other nine drivers include the likes of Richard Petty, Darrell Waltrip, Jeff Gordon, Ricky Rudd, Dave Marcis, Terry Labonte, Mark Martin, Kyle Petty and Bill Elliott.
With it being the 47-year-old’s final Cup Series season aboard the No. 4 Ford Mustang, let’s look back on some of Harvick’s milestone starts and moments.
Start No. 1 (Rockingham, 2001)
Harvick’s first Cup Series start came amid a whirlwind of events, after the death of Dale Earnhardt during the previous week’s Daytona 500 at Daytona (Fla.) Int’l Speedway.
Aboard a rebranded No. 29 for Richard Childress Racing, Harvick assumed the monstrous task of taking over the Intimidator’s seat. He finished 14th in his debut, after starting 36th.
Start No. 3 (Atlanta, 2001)
It only took three races for Harvick to reach victory lane for the first time. Harvick led 18 laps at Atlanta Motor Speedway, before narrowly edging NASCAR Hall of Famer Jeff Gordon by .006 seconds.
As Harvick soaked up his first win, he stuck three fingers out the driver’s side window to the fans, symbolizing Earnhardt’s famed No. 3.
Harvick after his first career win at Atlanta in 2001. (Getty Images)
Start No. 91 (Indianapolis, 2003)
For the first time in his illustrious career, Harvick reigned victorious at the famed two-and-a-half-mile oval of Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Starting from the pole, Harvick led 33 laps en route to kissing the yard of bricks.
It would be the first of three victories for the California native in the Brickyard 400.
Start No. 213 (Phoenix, 2006)
In 2006, Harvick experienced a resurgence after two consecutive seasons of missing NASCAR’s Chase for The Cup. Harvick notched five wins in ’06, including two at the one-mile oval of Phoenix Raceway. Harvick’s victory in the fall was his 10th career Cup Series win.
The driver of the No. 29 RCR Chevrolet later became the all-time winner at Phoenix, with nine victories.
Start No. 215 (Daytona, 2007)
When it mattered most, “The Closer” struck gold in the 2007 Daytona 500. After crossing under the white flag in fifth, Harvick powered his way to second, before calamity ensued.
Racing side-by-side with Mark Martin, Harvick edged the NASCAR Hall of Famer by .020 seconds. It was Harvick’s only Daytona 500 triumph.
Kevin Harvick (29), narrowly beats Mark Martin in the Daytona 500. (Jonathan Ferrey/Getty Images for NASCAR)
Start No. 331 (Talladega, 2010)
It had been a rocky two seasons prior for Harvick and the No. 29 RCR team, which went winless in 2008-’09. To make matters worse, primary sponsor Shell was leaving after the 2010 season.
Though Harvick persevered. Drafting behind Jamie McMurray through the tri-oval at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway, Harvick timed his moved to perfection on the final lap, diving low to sneak past the No. 1 Chevrolet and steal the victory. It was Harvick’s 12th career triumph.
Start No. 465 (Phoenix, 2013)
After it was announced earlier during the 2013 season that Harvick would join Stewart-Haas Racing the following season, he scored his final victory in the No. 29 at Phoenix Raceway. Harvick led 70 laps at the one-mile oval.
Once the checkered flag waved one week later at Homestead-Miami Speedway, Harvick finished his time at RCR with 23 wins and two NASCAR Xfinity Series championships.
Start No. 502 (Homestead, 2014)
Harvick’s move to SHR in 2014 turned into a golden investment for both parties, as the driver of the No. 4 Chevrolet scored his first Cup Series title after winning the season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway.
In the first year of NASCAR’s new bracket-style playoff format, Harvick out-dueled his three championship competitors, leading 54 laps in the process. It was his fifth victory in his first season with SHR and the 28th at the Cup Series level.
Kevin Harvick after winning the 2014 NASCAR Cup Series title. (Jonathan Ferrey/Getty Images)
Start No. 614 (Phoenix, 2018)
Proving to be as lethal as ever, Harvick notched win No. 40 at where else, Phoenix. The 2018 season saw Harvick begin the year red-hot, winning three consecutive races early on.
Though, he came up one spot shy of a second title at the end of the year, he finished the season with eight wins — a career-high at the time.
Start No. 687 (Darlington, 2020)
In the first event back from NASCAR’s 71-day stoppage due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Harvick dominated the 400-mile race, notching his 50th win in the Cup Series. The win tied him with Junior Johnson and Ned Jarrett for 12th on NASCAR’s all-time wins list.
Harvick reached new heights during the pandemic planned season, earning a career-high nine wins, along with 27 top-10 finishes in 36 races. A title eluded the driver of the No. 4, after he was eliminated in the penultimate race at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway.
Start No. 766 (Richmond, 2022)
Questions began to swirl around Harvick midway through the 2022 season, with the SHR driver enduring a winless streak that stretched the full 2021 campaign.
Though Harvick answered the call, winning back-to-back races at Michigan Int’l Speedway and Richmond (Va.) Raceway in the latter summer months. Harvick’s win at Richmond was his 60th.
Start No. 800 (Talladega, 2023)
In his 800th start, Harvick led 11 laps in the Geico 500 at Talladega before late-race damage hindered the No. 4’s performance. He would finish 21st.
To date, Harvick’s victory at Richmond is his most recent, as he continues on his farewell tour.
Harvick sits 10th on the all-time wins list, two victories shy of two-time series champion Kyle Busch (62).
Keyword: Harvick: The Road To 800 Cup Series Starts