Throughout Kevin Harvick’s NASCAR Cup Series career, the driver accomplished more than most in the history of the sport. However, there are a few statistics and accomplishments that stick out for The Closer. His run of top-10 finishes and his nine wins at Phoenix come to mind.
The one thing I believe will never be done again, is Kevin Harvick’s win-to-DNF ratio. This isn’t something a lot of people think about. Looking back at Harvick’s career, he amazingly had more wins than he did retirements in the Cup Series.
That is over the course of 23 seasons, 826 career races. 60 career wins and just 48 DNFs in his career. That is an average of 2.08 DNFs a season compared to 2.6 wins per season.
When you consider some of Kevin Harvick’s longevity records, it makes sense. Harvick was able to score all of those consecutive top-10s at Phoenix because he rarely wrecked. He was able to bring fast cars back to his team to use later.
Four times in his career, 2020, 2008, 2007, and 2003, Harvick has finished the season with a clean slate, no DNFs. The most he’s ever had in one season came in 2022 when mechanical issues plagued the Next Gen car at times. He finished that year with seven DNFs.
To put this into perspective, Kyle Larson has 49 DNFs in just 11 seasons and 330 races total.
The consistency and control that Kevin Harvick has displayed in his career are unparalleled. Only one other NASCAR driver can boast an impressive ratio like Harvick.
Jimmie Johnson and Kevin Harvick, a class of their own
As I was looking through the numbers, it became apparent that having a positive win-to-DNF ratio was rare. Most drivers don’t win one race a year, and others rarely finish without a DNF. So, the math is usually against drivers.
It is also a thing that is relatively specific to Harvick’s generation In the years before 2000, cars just didn’t hold up the same. Engines failed, transmissions were blown, and all sorts of issues led to DNFs. Even with 200 wins, Richard Petty has more DNFs to his name.
Even Jeff Gordon, a modern driver, has 99 DNFs to 93 career wins. And now, drivers are almost too aggressive to have any hope of having a ratio like Harvick. Not to mention, it’s harder to get multiple wins a season now, too.
However, Jimmie Johnson, that’s a different story. Jimmie Johnson has 83 wins and 70 DNFs in the Cup Series. It didn’t help his ratio that he had three starts and three DNFs in 2023. With more races planned in 2024 and possibly beyond, maybe Johnson will lose his spot in this prestigious club of two?
Of course, Jimmie Johnson is Seven-Time. He’s the driver of his generation. The fact Kevin Harvick and Johnson both have such clean records is a testament to their skill as drivers.
For what it’s worth, Denny Hamlin is at 51 wins and 52 DNFs. His last two years have featured just five checkered flags and nine retirements. Hamlin will have to clean it up moving forward and keep winning races, if he wants to join Johnson and Harvick.
In order for a driver to have a career quite like Kevin Harvick again, they have to win early, win often, and take care of their car. It sounds “simple” but those drivers are rare in the sport. Even in his retirement, there are things to admire Harvick for, and this stat is one of them.