What hangover? All Harvick and crew chief Rodney Childers did was defend their Sprint Cup title by coming out of the gate with two victories and four runner-up finishes in the first seven races. And there was never any letdown, with Harvick leading all drivers in top-fives, top-10s, laps led and average finish, and doing so by equaling or surpassing his 2014 regular season totals in every major statistical category.
It's all about a second championship for Harvick. Anything short is a failure, rightfully or not.
Underperformance and bad luck combine to prevent Harvick from putting forth an admirable championship defense, culminating with a very shocking early Chase exit.
Ric Flair liked to say, "To be the man, you have to beat the man." That more than applies to Harvick, who is fast, consistent and doesn't take unnecessary chances. If someone else is going to win the title, they're going to have to go through the defending champ -- a daunting prospect.