Kevin Harvick wins at Phoenix for third consecutive Cup series victory

March 13, 2018 at 5:27AM
Kevin Harvick
Kevin Harvick held up three fingers after winning his third consecutive race Sunday in Avondale, Ariz. (Brian Wicker — Associated Press/The Minnesota Star Tribune)

AVONDALE, Ariz. – Kevin Harvick raced to his third straight NASCAR Cup Series victory Sunday, holding off Kyle Busch for his record-extending ninth win at ISM Raceway.

Harvick patted the back window of the No. 4 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford in celebration, a nod to penalties in part fueled by social media photos last week of his buckled rear window after his victory in Las Vegas.

"I've been mad as all get out because this team does a great job," Harvick said. "This organization does a great job and we've got fast race cars.

"To come here to a race track that is so good for us is a lot of fun and everyone was just determined this week, and we just wanted to just go stomp them. We didn't stomp them, but we won. That's all that really matters. Just proud of this team. Put a fire in our belly."

Harvick, with 40th Cup victory, is the first driver to win three consecutive Cup races since Joey Logano in 2015.

Busch finished 0.774 seconds back.

Chase Elliott was third, followed by Denny Hamlin, pole-sitter Martin Truex Jr., Clint Bowyer, Aric Almirola, Eric Jones and Kurt Busch.

Harvick broke a tie with Busch with 14 NASCAR national-series victories at the track, also winning an Xfinity event and four truck races.

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John NICHOLSON Associated Press

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