NASCAR Cup Series: 5 drivers who will regress in 2021

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Kevin Harvick, Stewart-Haas Racing, NASCAR (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images) /

Drivers who will regress in 2021 – Kevin Harvick

Speaking of Kevin Harvick, he lands as the final driver likely to regress in the 2021 season. The driver of the #4 for Stewart-Haas Racing had a record-setting season last year, despite missing the Championship 4.

Harvick achieved career marks in wins (nine), average finish (7.3), races completed (36) and lead-lap finishes (33). He led the series in top five finishes (20) and top 10 finishes (27) as well as laps led (1,531). Over the course of the season, no team could quite keep up with the #4 team.

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Equaling or surpassing 2020’s astounding success would be a sight to see. Unfortunately, the likelihood of that is low, especially with a mixed-up schedule.

Last year, Harvick won four of the five races at Michigan International Speedway, Dover International Speedway and Indianapolis Motor Speedway. But in 2021, the Cup Series will only make one trip apiece to Michigan International Speedway and Dover International Speedway, and it has ditched the Indianapolis Motor Speedway oval for its road course counterpart.

Last year’s record-breaking year came to a screeching halt for Harvick, which could be a cause for concern. He only had three top 10 finishes in the final six events, which led to his shocking elimination in the round of 8.

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If the #4 team want 2021 to be anything like 2020, they will have to improve on long-run speed and ace the new tracks on the schedule. While possible, it is more likely that Harvick will undergo a decline in performance.

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