Streaking is a difficult assignment in NASCAR.
The topic of winning consecutive races takes on added interest this week because Kevin Harvick, who has bounced out of the gate with all burners blazing, can score a fourth consecutive win in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Sunday (3:30 p.m. ET, Fox) at Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, Calif.
Those in a wagering mood might be interested in taking Harvick against the rest of the field. He dominated in wins at Atlanta and Las Vegas and came on strong late last Sunday to rack up win No. 3 at ISM Raceway near Phoenix.
Cup drivers have won four in a row only five times since 1991.
The most recent is seven-time series champion Jimmie Johnson, who won four in a row in October and November of 2007 on the way to his second championship. Johnson is the only driver who has scored four consecutive wins in this century.
Other drivers with four consecutive victories: Richard Petty, Bobby Allison, Dale Earnhardt Sr., Bill Elliott, Harry Gant, Jeff Gordon, Mark Martin, David Pearson, Billy Wade, Darrell Waltrip and Cale Yarborough.
Petty and Allison, once fierce rivals, are the only two drivers with five or more wins in a row. Allison won five straight in 1971. Petty won six straight that year after winning a barely believable 10 in a row in 1967, the year he won 27 total.
Can Harvick score again at Auto Club? He has one win there — in 2011 — and has a noteworthy record over the past 10 races at the fast two-mile track. In addition to the victory, he has scored three runner-up finishes during that strech.
Harvick obviously would like to extend the streak, but he also has other goals in mind.
“I'd love to win at Pocono and Kentucky to mark those two racetracks,” he said. “Those are the only two racetracks we haven't won at on the Cup schedule.
“Really, it's about winning championships and races. Winning any race, whether it's a sprint car race or a Cup race or late model race, that's what we sit in these things for. That's what we show up to do.”
And he has another target. Tony Stewart, co-owner of the Stewart-Haas Racing team that fields Harvick’s Fords, retired from Cup racing with 49 victories. Harvick’s win at Phoenix was his 40th.
“I'd love to catch this guy in wins,” Harvick said, referring to Stewart. “That would be fun. That would be a good conversation in the shop, anyway.”
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