Harvick, who is currently third in points, trails Johnson by just 54 ticks - mere peanuts.
And while the current Sprint Cup champ has been dubbed "vanilla," there's little chance that Harvick would garner such a moniker.
Rocky road? Maybe. Vanilla? Never.
Harvick can be a punch-throwing good ol' boy one minute and a strategic-thinking team owner the next. He has been known to cuss out the media on a bad day, but he has a rep for being always gracious with fans.
He's a winning driver and a successful businessman. And, thanks in large part to his presence on Twitter, fans know he's one of the funniest NASCAR drivers around.
But enough of my Harvick assessment. I recently asked fans to tell me what they like about the driver of the No. 29 Shell-Pennzoil car. Here's what a few of them had to say -
"I like Kevin because of what he did after Dale Sr. was killed - how many young drivers could step into shoes as big as Dale's and survive in this sport? He handles situations with grace and humor sometimes, wit sometimes, and then at times (with reporters and drivers) is arrogant and cocky, but with fans he is thoughtful and very available. No other driver has these qualities, so how could you not like Kevin?" Jeannie J.
"He is just one of NASCAR's nice guys. I have met him and his wife several times and they are just really down-to-earth people," Michael H.
"Harvick is great. He stepped into big shoes and took on a huge challenge. He is outspoken and isn't afraid to move someone," Jonathan G.
"Consistency. Lead the year without the hype." Steven B.
"He's in your face, tells it like it is. No apologies. Loves his job but has fun while doing. Fierce competitor. Plus Bristol in 02 vs Biffle!" Kelly C.
"Why I like Kevin Harvick? What you see is what you get. He is who he is and is fine with it!" Denise H.
And finally this quote from Bryan N. - who won an autographed Kevin Harvick hat for this answer:
"I like Kevin Harvick because he always has that fire to win. He's also a great car owner. He is a threat to win in whatever he races."
The fans have spoken.
I know Kevin Harvick has a shot at taking on Jimmie Johnson. Enough of the #48 now, time for someone new to take the stage for once. Lets go Kevin, give Richard Childress a well deserved 7th Sprint Cup Championship!
ReplyDeleteNot trying for a hat but Kevin always goes to the track planning to win! I cannot see him settling for second unless he has lost a wheel. I know he is his own man and I respect that but can't help but thinking of Dale saying "second place is just the first loser". That is Kevin Harvick.
ReplyDeleteI like Kevin Harvick for a bunch of reasons, but one of the biggest is the way he treats his WIFE. DeLana is a lovely woman, and he behaves as though he knows and fully understands how valuable she is on many fronts. While it's obvious that a lot of NASCAR drivers love their wives, it's really obvious that he respects her, admires her and loves her. (If she ever gets tired of him, I'll take him!)
ReplyDelete