INDIANAPOLIS -- Kevin Harvick knows what it means to win the Brickyard 400 and the emotions that surround the highly coveted victory.

But the racer from Bakersfield, Calif. also knows what it means to struggle mightily, to be so far off and deep in the points that the idea of showing up at what is regarded as the most difficult oval track on the NASCAR circuit borders on misery.

“

In the end, you work just as hard to run last as you do to run first.

”

-- KEVIN HARVICK

That was the sentiment last season when Harvick and his Richard Childress Racing team showed up to Indianapolis Motor Speedway sitting 25th in points and also by that point having posted several finishes of 30th or worse.

"In the end, you work just as hard to run last as you do to run first," said Harvick, who at this time last year began a major turnaround with crew chief Gil Martin -- one which has led some critics to speculate that the team's near season-long points lead is a "fluke."

"It is unheard of for a team to go where we were last year to where we are this year," said Martin, who was moved to the No. 29 in May 2009. "I think everyone is still riding on the idea that it is a fluke or, 'Have they really come along?' In my own mind, it is hard for an organization to come from where we were last year to where we are today. Last year was so embarrassing that we just got our heads together and said, 'OK, we are not going to be those guys.'"

The progress, including eight top-fives (two of which are race wins at Talladega and Daytona), stems from management changes, new cars and new engineering direction. But it also stems from an ongoing chemistry-building process between driver and crew chief.

"One of the biggest things we've got going on right now is that we've had the time to work together as a unit with Kevin and find some of the things he wants and needs," Martin said. "People just don't know how much that can pay off. Coming here this year we know a lot of areas that last year we just weren't sure about. On average that means you're going to run better."

Harvick agreed and said the mind-set coming to the track has changed greatly for him as well as within the crew.

"To see the reward that the guys are getting and we all get from running better is a lot more fun," he said.

And leading the points has even allowed for a bit of fun this weekend for Martin and the crew who on Thursday had a grocery bagging competition at the Kroger near Indianapolis Motor Speedway for this weekend's sponsor on the No. 29.

"It's fun and good to be part of those deals because you're getting recognized for doing well. The guys were carrying groceries out to cars and racing with the fans," Martin said. "It's great because the guys can come in this weekend and be more interactive and the fans are more excited and want autographs, more so than when we were in 25th in points."

Still, that doesn't mean any more hype or pressure has surrounded Harvick. In fact, not a tremendous amount has been said about the turnaround. And Harvick for the most part has led the points under the radar.

"That makes things a lot easier," he said. "It lets us focus on what we need to focus on. The attention and the things that have or haven't come with that don't really matter to us as long as we're getting the results on the race track. Hopefully we can continue to do those things and see how it all shakes out at the end."

The Chase cutoff is at Richmond International Raceway in September, but before then the No. 29 teams needs to improve its seeding through more race wins. Drivers are seeded according to the number of wins they accrue in the season's first 26 races; each win is worth 10 bonus points.

A win on Sunday to add to Harvick's 2003 Brickyard win could solidify his championship hopes, or at least continue the team in the right direction.

"For me, I grew up ... this is where I wanted to race. I wanted to race Indy cars and my dad would have nothing of it. Being from Bakersfield, Calif. I always grew up a Rick Mears fan and with him winning four Indianapolis 500s, this was a place that I always wanted to win so for me personally, this was probably one of the neatest places that you could come to and win and get to experience kissing the bricks and climbing the fence," Harvick said.

"The coolest thing about the whole part was taking the victory lap with DeLana [Harvick] and Richard [Childress] and seeing all the fans that know that tradition after the race and being able to experience that was probably the neatest part of the whole win."