.vresize.36.36.medium.0.png){kind=small}
.vresize.36.36.medium.0.png){kind=small}
Kevin Harvick: Phoenix Raceway, fans ‘deserve’ major upgrades
It's obvious that Kevin Harvick loves Phoenix Raceway given his winning record there.
In 28 races at the 1-mile track, Harvick’s stats there are astronomical. He has collected a remarkable eight victories, including four in a row from November 2013 to March 2015, along with 12 top fives, 16 top-10 finishes and a 10.04 average finish.
In an organizational test session at Phoenix earlier in the week, Harvick took his first laps in the new No. 4 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford Fusion.
While at the test, he spoke about what he is looking forward to after International Speedway Corp. recently revealed the track’s $178 million track reconfiguration project, which includes moving the start-finish line to the exit of Turn 2.
“The start/finish line could be really exciting over there,” said Harvick. “I really like the effect of having the grandstands down there on that particular end (Turns 1 and 2 of the track).”
But there was one thing Harvick is ready to see the most when the upgrades are complete in November 2018.
“The part that I'm most excited for is the garages,” he added. “I think those are the same garages that were here in the late 80s. I wouldn't even call them garages. I would just call them a covered area. I'm excited for the guys to have a nice place to work.”
Due to the fact that year in and year out, Phoenix is continuously putting up high attendance numbers, Harvick is happy the city of Phoenix and the fans that attend races there are going to be rewarded with the renovations.
“I think the raceway deserves it,” Harvick said. “The crowd and the people in Phoenix deserve to have a showpiece because they've come out and supported it for years.”
Overall, Harvick is pleased to see ISC making the proper moves to improve their racing facilities, all in an effort to provide the best experience for everyone involved.
“To see the investment that ISC is making in our sport is exciting for everybody,” Harvick said. “You've got Daytona, and now Phoenix, and I don't think the list stops there. Reinvesting and creating more stadium-type feels of the race track is something that's great for the fans, it's great for us (drivers) an it's great for our sport.”
