NASCAR: Winners And Losers From Martinsville
By Cole Mentzel
Winner: Kevin Harvick’s Chase Trend
We all know it was rough for Kevin Harvick this weekend as he finished in 20th-place and two laps down, but it’s not all bad for the driver of the No. 4 car.
It’s a weird trend to discuss, but one that can’t be ignored. Under the current Chase format, Harvick has responded to a bad week with a performance that is good enough to get him to the next round, whether it has come in the form of a great finish or a big win.
In 2014, he finished 33rd at Martinsville but came back with a second-place finish at Texas and wins at Phoenix and Homestead to win the championship.
In 2015, he finished 42nd at Chicagoland and 21st at Loudon after running out of fuel, then dominated at Dover.
In 2016, he finished 20th at Chicagoland before winning at Loudon and finished 38th at Charlotte before winning at Kansas.
I’m not sure what it is but one bad race almost guarantees a victory the next weekend. Watch out for Harvick next Sunday at Texas.