HOMESTEAD, FLA.

Kevin Harvick’s most cherished memory from the night of his first NASCAR championship was sitting against the track wall with his 2-year-old son. Fascinated by race debris, Keelan Harvick tossed rocks and rubber on the track down the banking.

Three years later, Harvick is a win away from repeating the photo finish, a second championship in his sight and a second child on the way. Harvick and his wife, DeLana, are expecting in 2018.

Harvick might need to expand the trophy case before he decorates a children’s bedroom.

The native Californian has become a fixture in the championship picture under NASCAR’s winner take all format, making it into the final four for the third time in four years. He methodically picked off car after car to win the 2014 championship in his first year with Stewart Haas- Racing. Harvick was runner up to Kyle Busch in 2015. He has four straight top-10 finishes headed into Sunday’s race at Homestead Miami Speedway.

Harvick, Busch and 2012 champion Brad Keselowski are each trying to win a second championship and favorite Martin Truex Jr. is going for his first.

Harvick is 41, Truex is 37, Keselowski is 33 and Busch is 32. Harvick said experience matters to race for the title at Homestead.

Keselowski and Truex have never won at Homestead, while Busch and Harvick scored their victories in their championship seasons. Harvick’s average finish is seventh in 16 starts, the best of the title contenders.

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