Your eyes suggest it. The numbers prove it.
Kevin Harvick has morphed into the ultimate closer in 2011, charging to the lead whenever the checkered flag is in sight.
His uncanny ability to close first became apparent at Auto Club Speedway, when Harvick hunted down Jimmie Johnson – himself, a tremendous closer – on the final lap.
Harvick repeated the feat, winning again at Martinsville after reeling in Dale Earnhardt Jr. and taking the lead for good with four laps to go.
The statistics show that, yes, Harvick is indeed the man at the end of races. He ranks second in NASCAR’s “Closer” statistic, a Loop Data category measuring positions gained and lost in the final 10% of races. Harvick has gained 22 spots in the final 10%, all of them coming in the last four races.
A breakdown…
Daytona – Harvick ran only 22 laps (engine), so he started the final 10% in 42nd, and remained there.
Phoenix – Another status-quo race in terms of closing. With 32 laps to go, Harvick was in fourth – and finished in fourth.
Las Vegas – With 27 to go, Harvick was 21st. He finished 17th, a pickup of four spots.
Bristol – Though he didn’t get the “closer” notoriety that he did at Auto Club Speedway and Martinsville, Bristol was where it started. With 50 laps remaining, Harvick started rapidly clicking off spots, marching from 16th to sixth, a “Closer” number of +10.
Auto Club Speedway – With 20 to go, Harvick was sixth. A Turn 3 pass of Johnson gave Harvick the victory.
Martinsville – With 50 laps remaining, Harvick was fourth. The eventual win got him three Closer positions.
Harvick now heads to Texas for the first-ever NASCAR Sprint Cup Series night race at the 1.5-mile track. A third consecutive win would be the first since Jimmie Johnson won four in a row in 2007.
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