A NASCAR Nationwide driver has yet to win twice in eight years of racing at Kansas Speedway, but that's not deterring Kevin Harvick from trying to be the first multiple winner this weekend.
Harvick might have won last year's Kansas Lottery 300 if not for a dead battery mid-way through the race. Harvick led 90 laps from the pole but the green flag pit stop during the race dropped the team to a 13th-place finish.
Currently, Harvick drives for his own team in the No. 33 KHI Chevrolet. He won the 2006 Nationwide Series race at Kansas in a Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet. If he wins this Saturday, he would become the ninth different car owner to win at the track.
"In the past few races, we've had really good, fast cars and the pit crew has stepped it up on the stops to put us in the places we need to be," Harvick said. "I think for us as a team at KHI, the mile-and-a-half tracks like Texas (Motor Speedway) and Atlanta (Motor Speedway) have been really good for us so far this year."
Harvick drove to his second KHI-powered career Nationwide victory at Atlanta this year. It was his first career victory at the track.
"At Atlanta we were able to get our second win of the season and my first Nationwide Series win at that track," Harvick said. "This week we are taking the same car we had at Atlanta, so that adds a little bit of confidence from the time the team unloads."
The No. 33 team should gain confidence for this weekend by their recent statistics so far. Harvick has finished in the top five in each of his last five starts this season with 259 laps led. He's finished in the top 10 in all but six of his 18 starts this season.
At Kansas, Harvick has finished 13th or better in his last five starts. His only other finish was 38th in his track debut in 2001. His average finish is 11.8 with 118 total laps led.
"Every weekend I go to the race track expecting to run up front and contend for a win. I'm looking forward to getting back in the Jimmy John's Chevrolet this weekend at Kansas and hopefully we can get them another win," Harvick said.
The Kansas Lottery 300 takes the green flag at 3:30 p.m. (ET) Oct. 3.
