AVONDALE, ARIZONA – NOVEMBER 05: Kevin Harvick, driver of the #4 Busch Light Harvick Ford, looks on … [+]
After 22 years in the NASCAR Cup series 826 races, 120 wins and one Cup series title Kevin Harvick won’t have anything to do next week.
The 47-year-old from Bakersfield, California raced for the last time as a fulltime Cup driver Sunday. Harvick, whose last win came at Richmond in 2022, finished 7th at Phoenix capping off a Hall of Fame worthy career.
“It’s been a great ride and I think for me it’s something that I love to do,” Harvick said. “I think as you look back on it and realize all the things that you’ve been able to be a part of and be fortunate to be somewhat successful at, it’s been fun.”
And for the first time since 2001, when the new NASCAR season kicks off in February 2024, Harvick won’t be racing, instead he will be part of the Fox Sports broadcast team.
“I’m not going far,” Harvick said when he met with the media for the last time Friday. “I guess I’ll just be sitting on the other side of the table asking the questions, but it’s been a great ride and appreciate everything you guys have done for me, whether they’re good questions or bad questions. I guess doesn’t really matter, but it’s been fun. I appreciate what you guys do.”
Friday Harvick reflected on starting his final weekend behind the wheel after spending the entire season getting feted every week leading to the final one.
“I think, for me, all the weeks leading up to this particular one were really not that hard,” Harvick said. “I think this week was a little more difficult just because it is the last week with your guys and the people and everything that you do is actually coming to an end.”
FORT WORTH, TX – MARCH 31, 2001: Kevin Harvick’s NASCAR career included successful seasons in Busch … [+]
For Harvick his retirement didn’t really feel real until Phoenix and his final race.
“I think this week has been definitely different than everything leading up to this just because of the fact that there isn’t a next week,” he said. “There’s been a next week up until this week.
“Look, it’s very different – the things that we have to do going forward, but it’s all planned out and I think as I talked to Dale Jr., he was in a very similar situation where the TV piece of it was planned out. The race team piece of it is planned out.”
Harvick won’t be sitting around gathering dust in retirement. In addition to his work for Fox Sports in 2024, Harvick has plenty on his plate.
“We have a management company,” he said. “We have golf cart stores. All of those things are already functioning. I think it would be much different if you weren’t closing the book. I think, for me, I feel very fortunate to be able to open the book and obviously our first chapter was a little bit different than most peoples, but it’s the time that we chose to be able to say, ‘OK, this is it.’ And this is going to be the last week coming to Phoenix and racing here for the last time.”
Ending his fulltime racing career at Phoenix for Harvick is somewhat fitting.
“When you used to come here and race just for a hobby and you looked forward to coming to this particular racetrack on Cup weekend and in February for the Copper Classic every year,” he said. “As a west coast racer that’s what you did. It is a lot different than the week’s past because there isn’t a next one.”
In his final race Harvick led 23 laps and finished seventh.
“It’s been an emotional roller coaster, for sure,” he said. “I think as you look at this last week, this really means a lot to me just because I love driving the race car, I love being around the people more. I love our sport. It’s given our family so much through the years to be thankful for and proud of.
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – OCTOBER 15: Kevin Harvick, driver of the #4 Mobil 1 Ford, and son, Keelan Paul … [+]
“I can’t wait to be able to walk in that tunnel with my head up and look around, just look at all the really cool things that are NASCAR racing in every venue that we go to with great fans and people all over the place. I think for me, you walk into that tunnel laser focused on how do you make your car go faster and communicate with your team the best you can. Sometimes you don’t see everything around you.
“I opened this chapter unexpectedly in 2001 and closed it in 2023 how we wanted to. That was to be competitive. The thing that means the most is having the respect of the drivers and competitors and the crew chiefs, my team, organization, all the past people that I worked for or worked with.”
Ross Chastain won Sunday’s race. He will inherit Harvick’s longtime sponsor Busch beer next season. For Chastain it was a thrill to race Harvick in his final race.
“Obviously next year with Busch Light, I couldn’t think of anything I would want to do more, is to try to be like Kevin Harvick,” Chastain said. “Racing him early in the race was bucket list little kid in me, racing that 2005 game, I drove as the 29 GM Goodwrench car. Now I’m driving a Chevy for GM to Victory Lane, a Camaro.”
As the sun set over Phoenix Raceway, so did it set on Harvick’s career. He knew how he wanted to be remembered.
“I think for me, we gave it all we had, right?” he said. “Every lap, every week in some way, shape or form we touched every aspect of this race car. I care about how everything looks, whether it’s the color of the car, the stickers. I sit in the sponsorship meetings, marketing meetings, the team meetings, and there’s just not any piece of it that I don’t feel like we are a part of in some way, shape or form.”