NASCAR at Phoenix preview: Amid controversy, Kevin Harvick goes for 3 straight wins

After consecutive dominant wins where he put a stranglehold on the field, Kevin Harvick rolls into ISM Raceway outside of Phoenix with a bullseye squarely on his back as the clear favorite in Sunday’s Ticket Guardian 500 (3:30 p.m. ET, Fox).

But all eyes are on Harvick, crew chief Rodney Childers and Stewart-Haas Racing for reasons beyond overpowering victories that saw Harvick lead 67 percent of the combined laps run at Atlanta Motor Speedway and Las Vegas Motor Speedway. And it is those reasons why the team finds itself under a big microscope this weekend.

The scrutiny stems from NASCAR finding two rules violations on Harvick’s No. 4 Ford after his win at Las Vegas, prompting the sanctioning body to impose stiff penalties Wednesday. Few question whether a buckled rear windshield and bottom side skirts made of the wrong materials (steel, not aluminum) offer any considerable performance advantage. The car Harvick drove at Atlanta passed technical inspection with no issue and he was equally as strong there as he was at Las Vegas.

”Same team, same window bracing, same roof, same side skirts, same everything,” Harvick said when asked if he would’ve won with a car that cleared inspection. “It was in the R&D center the week before. It has been there 49 times in three years.”

Nevertheless, the penalties remain in place barring SHR successfully appealing (the team has until Monday to decide whether to do so) and the No. 4 team is now shorthanded with car chief Robert Smith serving a two-race suspension.

”If it is such a big deal, why is my crew chief still here?” Harvick said. “I don’t understand that.”

Two constants, however, remain in play this weekend, both of which make Harvick quite formidable and a third straight win a distinct possibility.

ISM is not just one of Harvick’s better tracks, it is his absolute best track where frequently he is in a league of his own. He has won an ISM-best eight times on the 1-mile oval -- doubling up second-place Jimmie Johnson -- including six of the past 11 races.

Often cited by the competition as the difference maker between Harvick and everyone else is his ability to carry speed through the corners due to minimal braking, thereby allowing him to be consistently fast over the course of long green-flag runs. Harvick has even joked that were ISM officials to ever move the cones placed toward the end of the straightaway that he uses as his braking markers, he wouldn’t know how to decelerate entering Turn 1.

“In Atlanta, we kind of chalked it up to Kevin being probably the best driver at Atlanta and he is typically fast there,” Cup Series points leader Joey Logano said. “Vegas was one of those things where we all thought, ‘Wow, maybe it wasn’t just Atlanta.’ Phoenix has always been a good track for him as well.

“It takes a few weeks to realize where you stand -- I think we are in good shape so far. But, I do think that he is a solid step in front of everybody right now. I think that team is.”

Then there is Harvick’s penchant for defying those who doubt him. Tell him he cannot do something and he will go above and beyond to find a way. This is the driver who once tweeted a video of a rampaging bull to signify his mood entering the playoffs and whose résumé is filled with triumphs in races where anything short of winning resulted in playoff elimination.

At age 42 -- the oldest active fulltime Cup Series driver -- and the father of two young children, Harvick no longer has the chip on his shoulder he once carried. But the determination to knockdown his critics remains steadfast. And amidst a week chockfull of controversy where the validity of his Las Vegas win was called into question, the 2014 Cup Series champion isn’t lacking motivation.

Considering the circumstances, a win Sunday would not be out of character. It would also mark the first time he’s won three successive races in his 18-year career. And in true Harvick fashion, he knows exactly how he’ll celebrate should he reach the winner’s circle.

“I can’t wait to win another race,” he said, “and jump up and down in victory lane on the back of my car.”