Kevin Harvick named NMPA Driver of the Year for the fourth time

Harvick, 45, was named the winner of the award named after former seven-time Cup Series champion Richard Petty following a vote of the National Motorsports Press Association membership.

Harvick received 45 percent of the votes cast. Also receiving multiple votes were 2020 Cup champion Chase Elliott, 2020 IndyCar Series champion Scott Dixon and Kyle Larson, who won 46 races on dirt this year.

The 2014 Cup series champion won a career-best nine races in 2020, including victories in the Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, the Southern 500 at Darlington (S.C.) Raceway and the Bristol Night Race.

His impressive season, which included the Cup series regular season championship, came during a year with practice and qualifying canceled most races due to the COVID-19 pandemic and a two-month shutdown of the sport early in the year.

Harvick finished fifth in the final series standings. He also won the driver of the year award in 2001, 2014 and 2018.

The Richard Petty Driver of the Year award has been presented annually since 1969 to recognize the season’s most outstanding driver.