Throwback Weekend is mere days away, which means that NASCAR is about to unveil the final names on its list of the 75 Greatest Drivers. The latest additions are two veterans that have combined for three championships and nearly 100 wins.
On Monday, May 8, NASCAR announced that Kevin Harvick had joined the list of Greatest Drivers. Stewart-Haas Racing also posted a video showing Harvick’s two children presenting him with the gift box.
Big surprise from his biggest fans.
Congratulations on being named to NASCAR’s 75 Greatest Drivers List, @KevinHarvick!
One day later, Joey Logano‘s parents called his SiriusXM show to announce that he was also on the list. His father, in particular, said that NASCAR “wanted to save the best for last” which is why they held the Team Penske driver until the end.
The limited number of spots on the Greatest Drivers list is something that Logano mentioned during a media session at Kansas Speedway. He expressed hope that he was one of the four remaining drivers and then he expressed appreciation for how NASCAR has revealed the new additions.
“I think this is a cool way,” Logano said. “I like that they’re not just saying, ‘Here’s the 75 drivers,’ and that’s it, right? It’s like a little bit of an event each time, right? Some unique way, cool way of their presentations.”
Harvick’s Announcement Coincides With His Final Season
GettyKevin Harvick (left) & Joey Logano (right) prepare for a race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.
The 2023 season is significant for Harvick. It marks the 75th anniversary of a sport in which he has achieved success, it marks his final run in the NASCAR Cup Series before a move to FOX Sports, and it marks the season in which he was named one of NASCAR’s Greatest Drivers.
Harvick has been one of NASCAR’s most competitive drivers from the moment he made his Cup Series debut for Richard Childress Racing. He won two races as a rookie in 2001, and he has since gone on to capture 58 more while switching over to Stewart-Haas Racing and winning the championship in 2014. This includes the biggest race on the schedule, the Daytona 500.
Harvick’s 60 career wins put him 10th on the all-time list, just behind Kyle Busch at 62. His 248 top-five finishes put him ninth on the all-time list behind Cale Yarborough at 255. Though he will have an opportunity to add to this total in the remaining 24 races.
Additionally, The Closer is 10th all-time with 802 Cup Series starts, but he will move up to eighth by the end of his final season as he passes both Jeff Gordon (805) and Darrell Waltrip (809).
One other stat that adds to Harvick’s legacy is his number of consecutive top-10 finishes at Phoenix Raceway. He has 20 straight between 2013 and 2023, which is the most in NASCAR history at a single track.
Logano Has Delivered Dozens of Wins
GettyJoey Logano (right) has celebrated 2 championships.
Logano, who earned the nickname Sliced Bread early in his career, started his career slowly while driving for Joe Gibbs Racing. However, he turned the corner once he joined Team Penske in 2013.
Logano has scored 30 of his 32 career Cup Series wins in a Team Penske Ford, and he is currently on a 12-season streak with at least one win. This run includes six seasons with at least three wins and two Cup Series championships. Like Harvick, Logano has also won the Daytona 500, doing so in 2015.
This moment right here 🥺
🎧 Watch and listen in as 2-time champion and @SIRIUSXM host @joeylogano finds out from his parents that he’s made the #NASCAR75 Greatest Drivers List.
💭 “It’s pretty special for me.”
Logano, who turns 33 this season, is quickly moving up the historical charts. His 32 career wins are tied for 27th all-time with Dale Jarrett and Martin Truex Jr. while his 30 Cup Series wins with Team Penske are third-most in team history.
Rusty Wallace leads the list. 37 of his 55 career wins were with Team Penske. Brad Keselowski is second as 34 of his 35 wins were in the No. 2 entry. Logano is third with 30 wins for Team Penske.
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The Closer & Sliced Bread Join NASCAR’s Greatest Drivers List