Harvick vs. Busch: Is ‘King of the Desert’ title shifting hands in Phoenix?

Since Kevin Harvick’s first win at Phoenix Raceway in the spring of 2006, the Stewart-Haas Racing driver has rewritten the record books in the Arizona desert. He sits atop the charts among active drivers in wins, top fives, top 10s, laps led and average finish, leaving the question: Is Harvick really the undisputed "King of the Desert?" Four other active NASCAR Cup Series drivers also have multiple wins at Phoenix: Jimmie Johnson (four), Kyle Busch (three), Denny Hamlin and Ryan Newman (two each). RELATED: Harvick the pick to win at Phoenix? Busch’s victory in the 2019 spring race gave him back-to-back trips to Victory Lane before teammate Hamlin raced his way to a crucial playoff win and made it three in a row for Joe Gibbs Racing. Harvick’s most dominant winning stretch came from 2013 to 2016 when he won four Phoenix races in a row and five of six, only gapped by a runner-up finish in the 2015 fall showcase. In total, he has finished inside the top six in 12 of the last 13 races here, with a ninth-place result in the spring race a year ago the lone exception. Two of the last three seasons, however, have resulted in winless trips to Phoenix for the No. 4 team, leaving the door open for Busch to perhaps become the new driver to beat at the 1-mile oval. Like Harvick, Busch’s status at the desert track has risen to red hot in recent years, boasting four consecutive top fives and 11 top 10s in his last 12 starts. In his last nine, Busch team tops the series leaderboard for the most runner-ups, top fives and laps led. Harvick has yet to take home the checkered flag at Phoenix since the start-finish line was moved before the 2018 fall race, while JGR remains undefeated post-adjustment. RELATED: Backseat Drivers pumped up for Phoenix Overall, Harvick and the No. 4 team have been off to a strong start for the 2020 season with a top 10 finish in each of the three races so far, making them the only team to accomplish this feat. Heading into Sunday’s FanShield 500 (3:30 p.m. ET, FOX, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio), he aims at becoming the fourth different driver to win a NASCAR Cup Series race this season. With the debut of the new short-track package and a preview of this year’s Championship 4 venue, there may be more to prove for Harvick after finishing third place in the final standings for three consecutive years. Harvick's consistency and front-running speed may help him become the first double-digit race winner at Phoenix in premier series history and creep closer to claiming the title of the undisputed "King of the Desert." But to reach those accomplishments, Harvick and crew will have to end Busch and JGR’s recent Phoenix reign. Source: Racing Insights