“It’s what I would have done" - Kevin Harvick on his team's strategy at Phoenix

Finishing in the top-10 at Phoenix Raceway for 10 consecutive years in the Cup Series is a record no driver other than Kevin Harvick can boast. The Stewart-Haas Racing driver, who is in his last season as a full-time driver in the highest echelon of the sport, finished the 312-mile-long race in the arid desert of Avondale, Arizona in a disappointing P5 position after looking like the car most likely to visit Victory Lane.

The Stewart-Haas Racing driver proved his experience by fighting through the field to lead the United Rentals Work United 500 until late-race caution flags ruined his chances of winning. A spin by Harrison Burton saw the 47-year-old driver pit for 4 tires after a call by crew chief Rodney Childers. However, this proved to be the wrong strategy come the final laps of the race.

Harvick elaborated on the same and said:

"It’s what I would have done, I’d always rather be on offense. I just didn’t get a couple cars when that first caution came out. Those cars were quite a bit slower. They get all jammed up. That’s the way it goes. Just smoked them up until the caution.”

By finishing P5, 'Happy Harvick' failed to clinch an elusive 10th victory at the Arizona Oval, which would have cemented his name with the greats of the sport such as Jimmie Johnson and Richard Petty, who have also won 10 races on one track.

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Kevin Harvick's crew chief Rodney Childers stood by team's strategy to pit for 4 tires

Long-time driver and crew chief pairing Kevin Harvick and Rodney Childers have a feel for what the other needs to have a successful day on track. However, luck seemed to work against the pair at Phoenix Raceway during United Rentals Work United 500 this Sunday.

Deciding to take on four tires before the final caution of the day, Childers explained how it was the correct decision to take for the team, along with how the yellow flag period lasted a little too long, saying:

“I think that everybody that knows us on the #4 car, we’re definitely better on four tires. Honestly didn’t feel very good about winning with two (tires). We’ve (done two-tire changes late) quite a few times here and lost more than we’ve won. But I looked down and thought we would go back green with about seven (laps) to go and then we all pitted and rode around under caution for four laps waiting for it to be a green-white-checkered."

Watch Kevin Harvick try his luck once again next Sunday as NASCAR heads to Atlanta Motor Speedway after wrapping up the West Swing Races this weekend.