NASCAR Cup Series

Kevin Harvick not considering retirement, still has more to accomplish

Published Nov. 11, 2021 1:17 p.m. ET

By Bob Pockrass
FOX Sports NASCAR Writer

When word started filtering through FOX Sports that Kevin Harvick would appear on the Oct. 27 edition of "NASCAR Race Hub" to make an announcement, it certainly could have made fans wonder if Harvick was going to make THE announcement.

Harvick said in February 2020 that he signed a two-year contract extension through the 2023 season, but many have wondered if the new-for-2022 Next Gen car, his feud with Chase Elliott and a solid performance in the television booth during Xfinity Series races would result in his abruptly retiring.

But there was no retirement announcement. Instead, it was another confirmation that Harvick –– who turns 46 next month –– is committed to finishing his contract, as Gearwrench was announced as a primary sponsor of the Stewart-Haas Racing No. 4 Cup car for at least the next two seasons.

"I love the competition," Harvick told FOX Sports. "I love being around my guys. I love being in the shop and around the people in the meetings to try to figure out what’s wrong, to try to figure out what’s right and move things around and try to move the needle in the right direction.

"I still enjoy that part of it, and you can’t get that part of it standing in the TV booth or just not being in the car. That competition and those pieces of the puzzle and being able to be a part of that is something that I enjoy."

Harvick tends to make decisions on contracts early and that is by design. He knew in late 2012 that 2013 would be his final year at Richard Childress Racing and that he would move to Stewart-Haas Racing in 2014. Since he made the decision in 2020 that he would race at least through 2023, he hasn’t contemplated a change.

"There’s no real second thoughts, and that’s why we do it so early, so I can wrap my arms around this is what I’m doing," he said.

"And if that’s what I’m doing, I’m not going to do it half-ass. ... I know where my head is at, and that makes me dig in."

As far as dealing with the Next Gen car, Harvick said that once he tested it last month on the Charlotte road course, much of the nervousness went away.

"I still have to figure out how to use the most throttle and drive the thing as fast as I can through the corners. ... [But] it doesn’t drive that much differently than what I currently drive," Harvick said.

"There are some things that are drastically different, but from where I sat, it wasn’t really that big a deal."

Having the sponsorship and funding to have a quality program is a big deal, and in the past few months, Harvick and Stewart-Haas Racing have announced two new sponsors. Subway, which had been out of the sport after most recently being with Joe Gibbs Racing, and Gearwrench, which was with Chip Ganassi Racing until its sale to Trackhouse went into effect this week, are big gains for Harvick and the sport in keeping those brands involved.

Combined with longtime partners Hunt Brothers Pizza, Mobil 1 and Busch, Harvick knows he shouldn’t lack for resources.

"We’re going to be in great shape for the next couple of years, and obviously Gearwrench is kind of a natural fit for our sport just because of how much the tools are used," he said.

Harvick, whose KHI agency generates sponsorship for not just him but also other drivers and athletes that he represents, is often involved in sponsorship discussions.

"Anytime we can keep sponsorship in our sport, it’s good for the sport, and .... [these deals] say a lot about our group and our race team and everything that we do," he said.

The race team didn’t have the greatest year in 2021, as Harvick was eliminated from the playoffs after the second round. But he finished fifth in the standings, and though he didn’t have a victory in a year in which 16 drivers won races, he ranked eighth in top-5s and third in top-10s.

"Obviously, performance-wise, from a speed standpoint, we haven’t been where we wanted to be this year, but in the end, this is probably the best year we have had as a group to make something out of the year," he said.

"When you look at the other two columns [besides wins], it looks better than most columns in the field. That’s a huge credit to the race team and the things that we’ve been able to accomplish together."

But there’s still more to accomplish. If anyone questioned Harvick’s drive, how angry he got with Elliott at Bristol and their continuing feud ended any doubt. And Harvick doesn’t think anyone around him was surprised by his fury.

Well, maybe one person: his 9-year-old son, Keelan.

"When I told him that it was madder than I had ever been at anything that he’s ever done, he kind of looked at me with the ‘oh, crap’ face that said, ‘Really?’" Harvick said. "I said, ‘Really.’

"That doesn’t surprise me. I think that desire to win and compete and do all the things that it takes is exactly what you saw there, and it’s not any different than it has been. You just had those moments that brought it out to show the world."

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Thinking out loud

NASCAR, IndyCar, Kyle Larson and Hendrick Motorsports need to find a way for Larson to do the Indianapolis 500. And soon.

Yes, the Coke 600 at Charlotte is a major race, and it has an extra stage, and running the Indy 500 before it would certainly impact Larson’s ability to prepare. But Larson is the biggest name in motorsports right now, and for him to run the Indianapolis 500 — let alone both the 500 and the 600 in one day — would benefit all sides.

Larson would get the adulation he deserves for the breadth of his racing skills. There would be additional focus on both races. And Hendrick, who likes to sell cars, likely would gain some fans on the IndyCar side. Chevrolet competes in both series and would also be celebrated for making it happen.

This isn’t something they should keep pushing down the line year after year. If Larson tries it now, he could make several starts in the Indy 500 while in his 30s.

Next Up: Next Gen

Cup teams head to the Charlotte oval next week for a two-day test beginning Wednesday. Teams will get about 18 hours of total track time across the two days. Organizations with one or two teams can field one car at the test; organizations with three or four teams can field two cars.

NASCAR continues to work on two major issues: heat generated and steering components.

"We've got some solves for that that the drivers, I believe, are feeling more satisfied with," NASCAR president Steve Phelps said.

"Until it comes out and we're actually at the L.A. Coliseum [for the Clash], we're at the 500, with race cars on the racetrack, I'll continue to be concerned. But I would say ... [our] group, working with our teams, working with our [manufacturer] partners, have done an incredible job getting us to this point."

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They said it

"Everybody had some headaches, for sure." — Kyle Larson on the championship party

Bob Pockrass has spent decades covering motorsports, including the past 30 Daytona 500s. He joined FOX Sports in 2019 following stints at ESPN, Sporting News, NASCAR Scene magazine and The (Daytona Beach) News-Journal. Follow him on Twitter and Instagram @bobpockrass. Looking for more NASCAR content? Sign up for the FOX Sports NASCAR Newsletter with Bob Pockrass!