Kevin Harvick's win at Bristol was one of just a few headlines he was happy about in 2005. Credit: Autostock

In Review: Kevin Harvick

Team made news in '05, but not all of it was good

It is not difficult to describe the kind of year Kevin Harvick endured in 2005.

Tumultuous. Headline-filled. Inconsistent. Riddled with penalties.

Harvick's season was parlayed on the front pages all season long. Every month, it seemed, created a new headline.

Inside the Numbers Kevin Harvick in 2005 Race Start Finish Daytona 500 30 28 Auto Club 500 31 6 UAW DaimChry 400 42 5 Golden Corral 500 36 21 Food City 500 13 1 Advance 500 5 32 Sam/RadSh 500 17 13 Subway Fresh 500 10 19 Aaron's 499 1 12 Dodge Charger 500 24 14 Chevy 400 7 5 Coca-Cola 600 33 14 RacePoints 400 7 25 Pocono 500 8 8 Batman 400 28 25 Dodge/S. Mart 350 21 37 Pepsi 400 7 24 USG 400 9 19 New England 300 8 22 Penn. 500 10 6 Allstate 400 14 19 Sirius at the Glen 13 15 GFS Marketplace 400 42 22 Sharpie 500 19 37 Sony HD 500 18 14 Chevy 400 1 10 Sylvania 300 9 10 RacePoints 400 17 19 UAW-Ford 500 42 10 Banquet 400 20 24 UAW-GM Quality 500 35 28 Subway 500 29 15 Bass/MBNA 500 31 22 Dickies 500 33 16 Checker 500 8 23 Ford 400 14 8 Average 19.2 17.4

January: Harvick skips Daytona testing

February: Harvick, Nemechek nearly brawl after Duel crash

March: Berrier suspended four races for illegal fuel cell

April: Harvick sweeps at Bristol

May: Harvick, Nemechek clash again

June: Harvick denies move to Penske

July: RCR makes changes in engine department

August: Harvick's crash at Bristol ends Chase hopes

October: Berrier suspended again

After the season mercifully ended, Harvick was left with his second consecutive finish of 14th in the points.

For a guy who shows up at Speedweeks every year with only one goal -- winning the Nextel Cup championship -- 14th is an off-year.

Still, there were a few bright spots.

"[The] 2005 [season] certainly was not the season we expected to have, but it was not a complete wash either," said Harvick, who turned 30 on Dec. 8.

Harvick ended up with just three top-fives, the lowest output of his five-year career. All three of his top-fives came in the first 11 races.

Despite the struggles, Harvick performed brilliantly on the short tracks, and team owner Richard Childress started working to improve the cars that were inconsistent on the critical downforce tracks.

"Richard has taken steps to improve the organization as a whole, and I think that is going to show in 2006," Harvick said. "I've never been more motivated and ready to start a season.

"We've fallen short on our goals and expectations. I am chomping at the bit to redeem ourselves."

BristolHarvick celebrates in victory lane at Bristol. RichmondHarvick, others discuss their Richmond finish. Sign up for TrackPass now BUY YOUR NEXTEL DRIVER PHONE

Ironically, Harvick's win at Bristol in the spring came in the first race after crew chief Todd Berrier was suspended following the Las Vegas spring race, where he was caught with an illegal fuel cell during qualifying.

Berrier was suspended again in October after an unapproved aerodynamic modification and an unapproved fuel cell vent. He ended the season on probation.

"You know, you have to learn how to get out of a hole," Harvick said after Bristol. "I think that's one thing that RCR has always been really good at, is recovering from being down. And they always come back stronger than what they were before."

Harvick's season was going well until June. Harvick struggled at Michigan and dropped from seventh to 10th in the points, but the real backbreaker for the team came at Sonoma.

KEVIN HARVICK Driver Page 2005 Stats Superstore: Kevin Harvick

Harvick had engine problems all weekend at Sonoma. He had to start in the rear of the field, and problems were compounded on Sunday when motor troubles sprang up again.

The 37th-place run sent him to 13th in the standings and destroyed his momentum for the final Chase stretch. Harvick wasn't able to recover until the series returned to Pocono in July.

By that time, it was too late, and Childress had already made sweeping changes in the engine department at RCR.

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Harvick ended up just short of missing a Chase spot for the second straight year.

"Everybody wanted to be in it," Harvick said after Richmond, where he won the pole and finished 10th, "but we gave it everything we had and we'll just keep trying."