(Photo by Jerry Markland/Getty Images for NASCAR)
Three weeks into his Winston Cup Career, Harvick won his first race, barely beating out Jeff Gordon to win the Cracker Barrel Old County Store 500. His crew, inherited from "The Intimidator," was shown teary eyed and celebrating on pit road.
"I don't know how you can script it any different," Happy said. "None of us could've expected this, this soon. The unfortunate circumstances and all I've got to say is this one's for Dale."
Not bad for a kid who just a few years before was living on Ron Hornaday, Jr.'s couch.
Harvick would go on to win the inaugural race at Chicagoland Speedway, collected six top fives, and 16 top 10s, enroute to finishing ninth in Cup points standings, despite missing the first race. He also won the 2001 Rookie of the Year award.
Oh, and did I mention that he ran the entire Busch Series, winning five races, 20 top fives and the Busch Series Championship?
All in a days work for Kevin Harvick.
Winning a race in 2002 didn't keep "Happy" from avoiding a sophomore slump. He ended the year with six DNFs, an average finish of 22nd and finished 21st in points. There was a bright spot, however: Harvick captured his first IROC Championship.
His success on track, though, has often been overshadowed by off track incidents. He was suspended in 2002 after a post race incident with Greg Biffle, and threatening (and then acting on) wrecking Coy Gibbs during a Truck Series event.
"Happy" has also gotten into altercations with Ricky Rudd, Joe Nemecheck, Matt Kenseth, and even former teammates Jeff Green and Robby Gordon.
Oh, and he called Kurt Busch "rubberhead", among other things.
In 2003, Harvick won the Brickyard 400 after starting on the pole, and despite three winless seasons since has seen even more success. He became the 2007 Daytona 500 Champion—his last trip to Victory Lane—and since '03 has capture six other wins, 53 top fives and 98 top 10s.
"Happy" and his wife DeLana are also the owners of Kevin Harvick Incorporated. Started in a friends garage in 2001, KHI has since become a race and championship winning organization.
With Ron Hornaday, Jr.—who opened his home to Harvick when he first moved to North Carolina—behind the wheel of one of their Camping World Truck Series machines, won the series championship in 2007, and has won 14 races for the team.
In the Bristol Nationwide Series race this year, Harvick scored his first win driving his own KHI No. 33 Armour Meats Chevrolet.
Which brings us to 2009. This weekend, Harvick will be making his 300th Sprint Cup Series start. With an average finish of 22.7, the now 32-year-old will be looking to break his 84 race winless streak with a win in at Pocono Raceway.
Thanks to Kevin Harvick, Racing Reference and FOX Sports for the information, stats and quotes used in this article.
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