CHARLOTTE, NC - OCTOBER 07: Kevin Harvick, driver of the #4 Jimmy John's Ford, stands in the garage during practice for the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Bank of America 500 at Charlotte Motor Speedway on October 7, 2017 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images)

Here's why Kevin Harvick will pull an "upset" and win the championship on Sunday.


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NASCAR CHAMPIONSHIP 4: Kevin Harvick

Alt_Driver's Cole Frederick is making the case for each of the Championship 4 to win the title on Sunday. Here's why . Here's why we're picking Kevin Harvick to pull an upset and win.

Don't let Kevin Harvick fool you.

He might try and play the underdog role heading into Sunday's championship race at Homestead, but no one would be surprised if Harvick walked away with his second Cup championship.

After Sunday's race at Phoenix, Harvick said he's the underdog while Martin Truex Jr. and Kyle Busch are the favorites. While those two have had better seasons than Harvick, the 41-year-old is certainly capable of winning the title.

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Harvick might only have two wins this season, which is the fewest of any driver in the Championship 4, but he's had plenty of success at Homestead in the past.

He won at Homestead in 2014 for his first Cup Series championship, and he's finished in the top-10 in each of the last nine seasons in Miami. In fact, he's finished in the top-10 14 different times at Homestead, and he has the most top 5s in track history with eight. He also has the best average finish in history at Homestead at 6.9.

Related: Kevin Harvick says two drivers are the favorites at Homstead, and one confidently agreed

So, Harvick can play the underdog card all he wants, but statistically speaking he might be the best driver ever at Homestead. Perhaps his car isn't the fastest this year, and he doesn't have the number of wins as his competition. But his three competitors won't be overlooking him on Sunday.

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Harvick will join elite company if he wins his second championship. He would become the 16th driver in NASCAR history to win two or more Cup Series titles, and he'd be the only active driver other than Jimmie Johnson to have multiple championships.

Harvick qualified for the Championship 4 by winning at Texas for the first time in his career. His other win this season came at Sonoma.

Only nine drivers in NASCAR history have won a championship with two different manufacturers, but Harvick can accomplish that feat if he wins on Sunday in his No. 4 Ford. His 2014 championship came in a Chevrolet. The last driver to win championships with difference manufacturers was Harvick's team owner, Tony Stewart. Stewart won in a Pontiac in 2002, and his last two titles came in a Chevrolet.

Before you count out Harvick and dismiss his chances on Sunday, just remember how much success he's had at Homestead. He might refer to himself as an underdog, but he certainly has the talent to win the title this weekend.

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