Will History Favor Kevin Harvick or Will the New Villain of NASCAR Reach the Victory Lane

Last year, Kevin Harvick was responsible for one of the best moments of the season. On a long winless run and 96 points out of the playoff positions, the Stewart-Haas driver arrived at the Michigan International Speedway. Fans and experts believed that he would not make it through to the last 16 after the regular season. However, Harvick defied all odds and proved everybody wrong as he emerged victorious in Michigan and booked his place in the playoffs.

It was one of the best moments of the 2022 season and nobody was upset that they were proven wrong by the brilliance of the former Cup Series champion. Harvick shared a beautiful moment with his daughter after the race, who was filled with joy after her dad earned an inspirational victory.

NASCAR returns to the Michigan International Speedway next weekend and one would think Kevin Harvick would be one of the favorites to win the event given his record. The Stewart-Haas driver has won four out of the last five races and five out of the last seven races. However, that is not how everyone feels.

Odds for the Michigan race project a favorite who has been made out to be sort of a villain in NASCAR.

It is none other than Denny Hamlin.

Driver favorite to win at Michigan is a controversial personality

According to Daytona Beach News-Journal, termed as the new ‘villain’ of NASCAR because of his on-track antics, Hamlin is one of the favorites to win the Michigan race, and it is understandable why. The 42-year-old has been in fine form throughout the season and is a strong contender for the NASCAR Cup Series crown. He has two wins so far this season and seven top-five finishes. His latest triumph came as recently as Pocono. At Richmond, Hamlin had a shot to win again but managed to finish in second place.

Cup Series table-topper Martin Truex Jr is also one of the favorites to win at Michigan but sits in fourth place when it comes to the odds behind Kyle Larson and William Byron. Veteran racer Kyle Busch is another favorite after of Kevin Harvick.

Despite Hamlin being in a good run of form, a lot of fans would prefer it if Harvick won at Michigan. The 47-year-old is in his final year as a full-time Cup Series driver and is someone loved by the fans of the sport. The veteran is yet to win a race this year and seeing him lift a trophy is something that would be a beautiful moment for the sport.

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Race Wins and Fond Memories, Michigan Holds a Special Place in Kevin Harvick’s Heart

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It is not just race wins Kevin Harvick associates with Michigan. He had a bittersweet moment with his son, Keelan, who suffered his very first accident there. Harvick let his son Keelan drive a golf cart the day before the Michigan race in 2019, which he won. Unfortunately, he isn’t as good a driver as his father, just yet.

In an Instagram video released by Stewart-Haas Racing, Harvick was reminiscing about that day four years ago. The SHR legend said, “I think it was the day before that was probably Keelan’s first accident. We decided that we were going to let him drive the golf cart on his own. It was a little bit wet and Keelan decided that he was going to drive over into the trees to get the golf ball. Well, we went to stop. Didn’t stop.”

“He wound up all the way in trees big pine trees in Michigan. So he wound up face first in the trunk of a tree so but Michigan was always fun, and you got to ride in the car when we won,” Harvick added.

Going into Michigan, Kevin Harvick will have a lot of confidence going to a track he has dominated over the years. While Denny Hamlin is a favorite to win the race, Harvick has done miracles at Michigan as recently as last year. In his final race at the track, fans can expect the 47-year-old to give it his full 100%.

Watch This Story: NASCAR Veteran Kevin Harvick Defends Denny Hamlin in Pocono Raceway Controversy