Seven Degrees of Kevin Harvick; Get Your Brawl on, NASCAR Style!

This week, we were witness to an altercation between Carl Edwards and Kevin Harvick. Come on, admit it, you loved it!

It's okay, we eat that stuff up. There is just something so primal about an ol' school throwdown that we are drawn to.

It seems as if every driver has fought in some form or fashion with another driver. It can be hard to follow at times, but I'm about to break it down for you, Kevin Bacon-style.

If you are a movie buff, then surely you have played the game "Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon," the trivia game based on the concept of the small world phenomenon and rests on the assumption that any actor can be linked through his or her film roles to actor Kevin Bacon.

The game requires a group of players to try to connect any film actor in history to Kevin Bacon as quickly as possible and in as few links as possible.

I've come up with a new trivia game, "Seven Degrees of Kevin Harvick." This game requires players to try to connect any driver in history to Kevin Harvick through fighting.

1. Kevin Harvick vs. Carl Edwards

Lowe's Motor Speedway, October 2008. A shoving match over the "big one" that Edwards caused at Talladega last weekend ensued, resulting in a dented hood for Harvick's No. 33 car and Edwards in a headlock. Carl needs to learn a thing or two about writing "Love Letters" to other drivers.

2. Carl Edwards vs. Matt Kenseth

Martinsville, October 2007. An on-track altercation spawned an on-camera feud. While Matt was doing a televised interview, Edwards came up, pushed Kenseth, and faked throwing a punch, which was "real enough" to make Matt flinch. Edwards later apologized for the incident, but it left Kenseth unable to believe it until he saw a change in his teammate's attitude.

3. Matt Kenseth vs. Jeff Gordon

Bristol, March 2006. Kenseth wrecked Gordon during the race. Jeff retaliated by jumping out of his car and without even removing his helmet shoved Kenseth as he attempted to speak with Gordon regarding the incident. Gordon would later say, "I wasn't happy about it, and I showed it to him after the race."

4. Jeff Gordon vs. Tony Stewart

Watkins Glen, August 2000. After wrecking at the beginning of the race, strong words and many expletives were spewed between these two. Crew members stepped in to prevent the drivers from coming to blows, urging Tony "to go into his truck and cool off," while Jeff stood outside his car telling Tony to "Speed up and you won't have that problem (on the track)." It's "bleeping" good fun!

5. Tony Stewart vs. Kurt Busch

This brawl began during the Daytona 500 in 2007. Busch took out Stewart and then himself on lap 154.

Dover, June 2007. Stewart spun Busch on the track, Busch fought back by pulling up next to him on Pit Road to give him the hairy eyeball. The No. 2 was so close to the passenger door of the No. 20, it forced a crew member to jump onto the hood of the Home Depot car to avoid injury. Kurt Busch was fined points and money, but it didn't stop there.

During 2008's Bud Shootout Practice, the cars of Stewart and Busch came together once again, this time sending the No. 2 into the wall driving into turn 3. During the caution on their way to Pit Road, Busch door-slammed Stewart's car several times before both cars came to a complete stop on pit road before heading into the garage area.

According to multiple sources, Tony Stewart punched Kurt Busch that day in front of NASCAR officials in the NASCAR hauler.

6. Kurt Busch vs. Kyle Busch

Nextel All-Star 2007. Brotherly chaos ensued when these two came together on the second lap of the final segment. Kurt blamed Kyle, while Kyle threatened to "kick his brother's butt" on the radio immediately after the incident took place.

Kyle snuck off the track that night, avoiding his brother and the media leaving Kurt with the final word.  

"I'm sure we'll talk to each other," he said. "It's just tough to have this scenario happen out on the track, but inevitably it was going to happen. We'll see what he has to say about it, and we'll see what we can do to discuss it, but right now I'm not eating any Kellogg's anytime soon."

 

7. Kyle Busch vs. Kevin Harvick

Michigan Truck Race, June 2008. Busch and Harvick had a post-race encounter in which owner Kevin Harvick took exception to Kyle Busch wrecking driver Ron Hornaday.

The wreck set both driver and owner off, they chased Busch through the garage area and had a heated discussion.

"I just got into him. Sorry about that," Busch said. "But remarks from Harvick and Hornaday are what they're going to be, they're big mouths anyway and so we'll take it and get on with it and hopefully beat them out for this championship."

At Sonoma the following weekend, Busch couldn't help but note with glee that Harvick caused the late wreck that took out Tony Stewart and Jamie McMurray. 

"Besides the rest of the guys that were behind me, I guess Harvick got into McMurray who got into Stewart; that's just a bummer deal. Everybody makes mistakes sometimes, but when Harvick comes up to me and runs his mouth last weekend like at Michigan, he sort of stuck it right back in his mouth here this weekend, so that was good to see (chuckling)."

Ah yes, fighting is and always will be a part of NASCAR.

Now, I challenge you to a game of Seven Degrees of Kevin Harvick, are you up for it?  

Fair warning, I'm a sore loser, so if you do beat me at my own game, I'm liable to pick a fight!