NASCAR: Kevin Harvick matches Richard Petty, Dale Earnhardt

While he may say he does not care, Kevin Harvick pulled off a significant achievement with his sixth place finish in Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series race at Phoenix Raceway.

Nine-time Phoenix Raceway winner Kevin Harvick still hasn’t won a NASCAR Cup Series race at his best track since March 2018, making this eight-race win drought the second longest of his career at the track.

But his sixth place finish in Sunday’s 312-lap race around the four-turn, 1.022-mile (1.645-kilometer) oval in Avondale, Arizona made history.

Harvick has now finished in the top 10 at Phoenix Raceway in each of his last 18 starts there going back to November 2013, tying an all-time record for consecutive top 10 finishes by any driver at any track.

His most recent finish outside of the top 10 at the track came in March 2013 when he finished in 13th place.

During this 18-race stretch, his average finish is 3.94. This streak doesn’t include a single finish lower than ninth place, and it includes six wins, four of which came in consecutive starts from November 2013 to March 2015.

The only other drivers to record 18 consecutive top 10 finishes at a single track are seven-time champions Richard Petty and Dale Earnhardt, both of whom pulled it off at North Wilkesboro Speedway.

Petty pulled it off from September 1968 to March 1977. His 18-race streak included 10 victories, no finishes lower than seventh place, and just one finish lower than third. His average finish during this historic run was a remarkable 1.89. Earnhardt pulled it off from October 1983 to April 1992. His 18-race streak included four wins and an average finish of 4.22.

Harvick entered Sunday’s race tied with Jimmie Johnson, the only other seven-time champion aside from Petty and Earnhardt, on the all-time consecutive top 10 finishes list at a single track.

Johnson recorded 17 in a row at Martinsville Speedway from October 2002 to October 2010. This streak saw him win six races and record an average finish of 3.59 without any finishes lower than ninth place.

Harvick’s chance to break the all-time record with a 19th consecutive top 10 finish at Phoenix Raceway is scheduled to come in the 2022 season finale on Sunday, November 6.