Padraig Harrington will do his FedEx Cup chances extremely good this week if he copies the winning ways of NASCAR champion, Kevin Harvick.

Harrington warmed up for the Wyndham Championship by contesting the Pro-Am alongside the NASCAR legend.

The Californian born Harvick, who is used to the speed and thrill of America’s best-attended sport, also showed his prowess with the golf club on the Greensboro course.

Harrington was not due to compete in the tournament but then the Irishman had to cancel a family holiday to travel to this week’s $US 5.2m event to ensure his place in the FedEx Cup.

Harrington hosted a Wilson clinic at a club in Duluth, Atlanta on Monday but arrived in Greensboro, South Caroline lying well down the grid and, in fact, five places outside of qualifying for next week’s FedEx Cup inaugural first feature race in New Jersey.

And if Harrington is to advance any further in the race for the $US 1om first prize cheque, he needs to force his way through the Charlotte field, and also avoid any collisions around the Greensboro course, to be assured of being on the starting grid next week in Edison, New Jersey.

 If not, it’s a black flag and the likelihood of returning to compete on the European Tour.

Harvick, 35 is one of the most popular NASCAR stars, and there was always display and replica of his car on display during the course of Shell Houston Open week in Texas.

Padraig Harrington could do his FedEx Cup Series well by following Kevin Harvick's winning ways.

And while Harvick now races under the ‘Rheem’ banner, an example of Harvick’s popularity was evident in ‘Big Apple’ last week when he threw the ceremonial first pitch at the New York Yankees and Los Angeles game at Yankee Stadium.

Harvick’s career really kick-started on March 11, 2001 at the Cracker Barrel Old Country Store 500, and just after Dale Earnhardt’s death when Harvick won his first career Winston Cup victory in just his third start.

So close was the racing that day, Harvick edge out Jeff Gordon at the Atlanta Motor Speedway by six thousandth of a second (.006), that proved to be one of the closest finishes in NASCAR history since the introduction of electronic scoring in 1993.

After the win, Harvick performed a tyre-smoking burnout on the front stretch with three fingers held aloft outside the driver’s window.

Since then, Harvick’s won 16 more races and earned a total more than $US 54m in prize money.

Because of his last-second passes to win many of his races and his ability to start deep in the field and finish towards the front, he was nicknamed “Mr. Where did he come from?”.

Earlier this year TV commentators began referring to Harvick as “The Closer” for his late-passing wins.

And Harrington, who admitted he well knew of Harvick’s talents, spoke of the delight in competing alongside  a fellow sportsperson and golfer.

“I wouldn’t say I’m a big NASCAR fan but I like all sports, and if it’s on TV in front of me, I’m going to it, watch the highlights,” said the Dubliner.

“Obviously when you get paired with another guy who is involved in a sport there’s a lot of questions, what do you do for fitness, what’s your schedule like, what you do corporate wise?

“So there’s a lot of similarities and a lot of questions we were both asking each other out there to find out generally what another sport is like.

“As regards to Kevin’s golf game, the best part of his golf game is the most important part, and that is he has a nice touch around the greens.  He’s a good putter.

“Kevin also can hit it, he definitely can hit it, so he’s got no problem with speed and power.

“If I would say one thing and that he is not letting the natural side come out in the longer game became but, thankfully, he does what is important and that’s the most important part.

“But no matter where he goes playing golf in the world he can tee it up in any Pro-Am and look okay.”