Kevin Harvick

AVONDALE, Ariz. — The statistics show that Kevin Harvick is the driver to beat at Phoenix International Raceway.

His speed, coupled with the unbelievable momentum he’s had since late last season, shows he may not be beatable at all in the desert.

Harvick won the pole Friday at Phoenix, where he’s won four of the last five races and six for his career. His lap of 140.751 mph in his Stewart-Haas Racing Chevrolet gave him his first ever Sprint Cup pole at the track he loves.

It was yet another milestone for the defending NASCAR champion and his No. 4 team, coming off Harvick’s first career victory at Las Vegas.

“To get that first pole with these guys and celebrate anything that we hadn’t done ... every week is just a new adventure,” Harvick said. “It’s pretty special to be a part of a group of guys like this.”

Asked what it will take to beat him Sunday, Harvick smirked. From the back of the room, second-place qualifier and Daytona 500 winner Joey Logano waited, “Tell us the secret!” he yelled to Harvick.

Harvick didn’t sound as if there is a surefire way to keep the No. 4 out of victory lane.

“There’s just so many circumstances that you can’t control, so many things that can go wrong, mistakes that you can make,” Harvick said. “We can make some bad decisions as we go through practice and miss the balance when we start the race. There’s just a lot of things that can go wrong.”

Logano heard what Harvick was saying loud and clear.

“I don’t know if you noticed his answer — the only was he can get beat is him screwing up. I don’t know if you heard that,” Logano said. “Sounds like it will take a mistake or crash or strategy call.”