Even though Stewart-Haas Racing driver Kevin Harvick has not advanced to Round of 12 for the 2023 championship contention, he will end his career as one of the greatest NASCAR Cup Series drivers.
As he retires from NASCAR with the conclusion of the 2023 season, his legacy will forever be remembered by his fans and NASCAR.
It’s not the titles or records that define the 2014 NASCAR Cup Series champion’s remarkable journey in NASCAR. Instead, it’s a strong impact that he has had on people’s lives and most importantly his contributions to the sport.
In a recent interview with The Athletic, Kevin Harvick looked back on his career and talked about how worth it has been to hear stories of fans who found inspiration in his racing career, especially during difficult times like COVID-19.
Harvick said:
“Hearing those stories and those moments, whether it be inspiring a driver or inspiring somebody to get through a hard time period, through COVID or something personal they have going on — when we’re in the day-to-day grind, going week to week from race to race, you lose sight of the fact that what you do is much bigger than winning or losing to the people outside of this hauler. The impact you have on people’s lives is much different than what you realize inside of the competition walls”.
He added:
“That has been very impactful for me personally to just really enjoy that you’ve been able to affect people in a positive way just by doing the things you think are right.”
Kevin Harvick’s remarkable NASCAR journey
The 47-year-old Bakersfield, California-native began his NASCAR journey in 1995, venturing into the Truck Series, before moving into the Xfinity and Cup Series in 1999 and 2001, respectively.
In over two decades, Kevin Harvick has appeared in 1,100 races, including 803 in the Cup Series.
He has scored 60 Cup Series victories, 442 top-10s, and 31 pole positions. In the Xfinity Series, he has won 47 races with 261 top-10 finishes and 25 poles in 341 total races. He also piled up 14 wins with 62 top-10s and 4 poles in NASCAR’s third tier series.
Kevin Harvick won the two Xfinity championships in 2001 and 2006. He also clinched the Cup championship in 2014 and has eight crown jewels wins.
