Latest news with #Harvick
Newsweek
5 hours ago
- Automotive
- Newsweek
NASCAR Insider Questions RAM Trucks' Timing of Entering the Cup Series
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. NASCAR insider Kevin Harvick has welcomed the entry of Stellantis' RAM Trucks into the Truck Series. However, considering RAM CEO Tim Kuniskis's goal of the brand racing in the Cup Series eventually, Harvick has questioned the timeline for RAM's Cup Series entry. Will it happen in 2027 or 2028? RAM Trucks made the big announcement of joining NASCAR in 2026 at the Cup Series race at Michigan International Speedway. Though the brand has yet to form a team, it remains confident in its plans to race in the Truck Series next year at Daytona. Harvick opened up on RAM's entry into the sport and questioned why it had left 13 years ago. Speaking on his Happy Hour podcast, he said: A general view of the Ram announcement that its brand will return to NASCAR competition, scheduling a Craftsman Truck Series campaign beginning in 2026 on the midway prior to the NASCAR Cup Series FireKeepers Casino... A general view of the Ram announcement that its brand will return to NASCAR competition, scheduling a Craftsman Truck Series campaign beginning in 2026 on the midway prior to the NASCAR Cup Series FireKeepers Casino 400 at Michigan International Speedway on June 08, 2025 in Brooklyn, Michigan. More"It's really neat to see RAM come back to the Truck Series. They were always such a big part of the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series and everything that happens and has happened with it through the years. So they just, I mean — it's just NASCAR. They're just a NASCAR brand. I don't know why they ever left. I'm happy that they're back. "I can't wait to see who their teams are going to be in the Truck Series. I think it will be very interesting to see that play out. Maybe they've already got them picked. But building these programs is always intriguing." Harvick added that RAM will have to mostly focus on the aero side of performance in the Truck Series. But to race in the Cup Series won't be that easy, a point that prompted him to question RAM's timeline to enter the top tier. He said: "It's a great time to come into the Truck Series, because of the spec engine. You don't have to develop an engine. You basically are going to develop the aero side of things with your body. It's a lot simpler to get started in the Truck Series. The hard part will be getting everything situated for Cup and the timing of that. Is that 2027? Is that 2028? What is that timing?" The former NASCAR driver believes RAM's Cup Series arrival in NASCAR will benefit the other three manufacturers. He explained: "But to have them back in the Cup Series is going to make it better for the Toyota, Chevy and Ford teams, because those manufacturers are going to have to lose some people and they're going to have to either keep spending the same money with less teams, or spend a little bit more money. So, as a team owner in the past, when more manufacturers compete, the better it is for the team, because you get more funding, which means you can sell the sponsorship for less."
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Kevin Harvick has a radical idea for NASCAR All Star Race future
Kevin Harvick says the All-Star Race might be nearing its shelf life as an annual part of the NASCAR Cup Series season. Speaking on his Happy Hours show on NASCAR on FOX's YouTube channel, the 2014 Cup Series champion driver turned television analyst listed all the reasons he doesn't think the annual summer exhibition doesn't work anymore. Advertisement 'I just think that with all the effort and things that go into it,' said Harvick. 'We can't find a format that everybody likes; I think we should honor our guys. I think we have to figure out how to make the Clash be the Clash and the All-Star Race and make it all work together. I think that North Wilkesboro deserves to be a points race.' So in other words, Harvick would just make Wilkesboro a 37th points paying race. 'I think it would be a fantastic points event, 400 laps, all the cars on the race track, full weekend,' Harvick said. 'I don't think North Wilkesboro should go anywhere, but I just think the All-Star Race has run its course, personally.' The race, held at Atlanta in 1986, then Charlotte from 1987 to 2019, Bristol in 2020, Texas from 2020-2021, and Wilkesboro ever since. It's paid a million to win since 2003. Advertisement NASCAR used to use the event to test out new rules and radical formats but now they've all been implemented. Thus, Harvick isn't sure NASCAR needs two non-points exhibition races if there are no new ideas for the All Star Race. Related Headlines
New York Times
22-04-2025
- Automotive
- New York Times
Kevin Harvick Q&A: Year 2 with Fox, his TV strengths and weaknesses, and more
As Kevin Harvick's driving career in NASCAR's Cup Series wound down, a transition to television always felt inevitable. In addition to being one of the most accomplished drivers of his generation — winning a Cup championship, retiring ranked 10th on the all-time wins list and owning victories in all four crown jewel events — he also impressed whenever he stepped in front of the camera to serve as a guest television analyst. Advertisement Last year, Harvick entered broadcasting full time when he joined Fox Sports to call Cup races alongside fellow analyst Clint Bowyer and Mike Joy, who handles play-by-play duties. And just as many within the television world long predicted, Harvick quickly became one of the sport's best analysts. With Harvick now entrenched in the broadcast booth, The Athletic sat down with the 2014 Cup champion to discuss his role. Harvick spoke about what he learned from his rookie year, his strengths and weaknesses, developing a rapport with Bowyer and Joy, hosting his popular podcast ('Happy Hour') and more. (This interview has been edited for length and clarity.) What is Kevin Harvick the broadcaster like in Year 2 versus Year 1? Is it just a better level of comfort? I have a much better understanding of what my role actually is. I think Year 2 allows me to be more opinionated in things that are happening or happening in the conversation, whether it's in a production meeting or in the booth or whatever that is, and feel comfortable about not stepping on anybody's toes. Because this is truly a team. It takes a lot of people, just like everything else, and last year I wanted to make sure I understood how it all worked before I started being too opinionated on things. I treat it just like I was driving the car. Like everything matters. You want everything to flow and be organized. And I've learned that things happen a little later in the TV world than in the driver's side of the world. It's a lot closer to the event than what I was used to. But that's just kind of the nature of the beast because there's just a lot of things that happen week-of because you can't do it the week before. Do you find yourself in meetings now being comfortable with speaking up, giving your opinion and direction on things related to the broadcast itself? It's knowing when it's OK to just say something when it's right and knowing right and wrong, and knowing when you're walking on somebody to stop, and it's knowing that flow of myself, Mike and Clint. It's also being able to talk to the producer and director and everybody in the truck to say, 'Hey, leave the camera here.' There's a lot to broadcasting by itself, but on top of that, you also have your podcast on Monday, the agency and other business interests, family and still occasionally racing. How does your typical week now unfold? Typically, all the heavy Fox meeting stuff happens Tuesday, so that's two meetings. With Monday being the podcast, usually Sunday night is about content for that, the run of show for the podcast Sunday night, and then Monday morning we shoot the pod. Between pre-race, the podcast, stuff for features on Sunday, you wind up working with five different producers as you go through all the different scenarios of things you could or couldn't do. So being comfortable with that flow is different. I feel like the way that digital and the broadcast side work together is probably unique compared to other sports. … And then you incorporate the family and the racing and the management company and all those other things in there, it winds up being a busy week. Advertisement Because of your past relationships with Joy and Bowyer, has that made transitioning to the booth easier because you know them so well? I think so. And they were both open arms when I got here. They had a rotating seat of (guest analysts), so I can see why that would be frustrating with the flow and being in the routine of how things go. To bring somebody new in most every week would be hard, not only for them, but for the guys in the (production) truck to be able to get the flow and understand when somebody is frustrated or mad. Clint and I look at it from two different worlds, and what we see on the racetrack is drastically different. Mike's a little bit of the referee in that scenario. But I think that's part of what makes it good because I don't get offended by his difference in his perspective compared to my perspective. Mine's usually right. (Laughs.) But other than that, it's fun because I can bust on him pretty hard, and he can do the same back to me. And it's not mean. We're both just having fun. How many times during a broadcast do you roll your eyes at Clint? I usually punch him. I don't roll my eyes. I usually just punch him in the shoulder or grab him around the neck. What do you think your strengths are as an analyst? It's still just the things that are happening from the driver's perspective with the new car. Because if you haven't been in the car, it's just a different world compared to what it was. So being able to see those things. I like to explain the racing piece of what's actually happening. You don't have to make anything up, it's pretty simple. There are a lot of things to watch. Our sport is very complicated. There's a lot of technology. There's a lot of people that are really good at it. There's a lot of work, time and effort. So being able to get that out and across to people is super important. Because if you just sit there and show the cars going around the racetrack, it looks pretty easy, but it's far from that. Advertisement What do you think your weaknesses are as an analyst or an area you'd like to improve in? I worry too much about walking on somebody or overthinking the end of the races. The end of the races just gets so chaotic with two big voices in the room. Sometimes it's hard to know where you chime in on that, or if you don't need to. I'm of the opinion that Mike Joy should call the last lap of every race because I like listening to his voice. So … you have to know when to stand down, though there are moments that you could definitely put in on something that happened, but you have to do it quickly. What is the dynamic like in this role now where you sit down with some of your peers, like you recently did with Kyle Busch, and interview them? Is it different being on the other side? Very unique because I feel like I have a pretty good relationship with all of them. And everything that we went through from the driver counsel side and still being involved in that, it's been really strange because you can ask them hard questions and they're very honest. I've not had one that's been combative yet. They've all been pretty easy, to be honest with you, because it's just a natural conversation, and I feel like I come at them with questions that they wouldn't typically hear from some of the everyday stuff that they hear. Now, sometimes things have happened, and you have to ask that question. But I try to find something creative to pique their interest, to start a conversation that leads to who knows where. You have the podcast where it certainly seems like you enjoy having an outlet that allows you to sit down and actually opine on the state of NASCAR. I thought that podcast was a terrible idea when we started, but it has evolved into exactly (that sort of outlet). And I think it's because on the air, you never see and hear everything that's happening because it's happening so fast. There is this unbelievable pace of the booth in the way that the information and things are happening, so being able to digest that after the race, listen, see everything else that was going on — the topics pretty much shape themselves. It's great to be able to dive into some of the more critical things, whether it's NASCAR, driver, track, whatever that scenario is, to be able to have those conversations that are tough. Why didn't you like the idea of a podcast when it was thrown at you? It seemed like a lot of work, and it is, but it's not as difficult as you think it is. And it actually helps you prepare for the week. By the time I get to my production meetings on Tuesday, I have a pretty well-rounded idea of what happened over the weekend or what you're leading into for the next week. Advertisement Darrell Waltrip spent nearly 20 years in the (Fox Sports) booth doing this. Larry McReynolds and Joy (both of whom started with Fox Sports in 2001) are still going at it strong. You envision yourself doing this as long as them? Well, the good news is I don't really have to think about that vision because it's just, I guess, one segment of time at a time with whatever deal you're currently under. It's something that I enjoy. I enjoy being around the racetrack, and being around the racetrack in a non-pressure situation. And I like racing. I like the people. I like the sport. I like everything about it. So I enjoy being here and doing something that just doesn't have the pressure of driving the car. (Top photo of Kevin Harvick at this year's Daytona 500: James Gilbert / Getty Images)
Yahoo
30-03-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Kevin Harvick sells south Charlotte estate 10 months after being listed
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS) — It's finally off the market. Former NASCAR star Kevin Harvick's south Charlotte home sold this month for just shy of $10 million after being listed last May for $12.5 million, Mecklenburg County real estate records show. The 4.5-acre estate off Carmel Road has a 9,500-square-foot primary resident, plus two outparcels that make the total square footage more than 13,000. The closing price is roughly $1.5 million more than another south Charlotte sale last summer. The new owners are listed as Shelby and Jon Groot, who operate an eponymous foundation based out of Delaware. Harvick and his wife Delana purchased the property in 2014 for $3.34 million. According to it features six bedrooms, 7.5 bathrooms and a six-car garage. In November 2023, they purchased a Lake Norman home that was used in the movie 'Talladega Nights.' Harvick retired full-time from driving that same year. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Miami Herald
22-03-2025
- Automotive
- Miami Herald
Christopher Bell primed for strong run at history in Sin City
Christopher Bell has served emphatic notice that he is the early driver to beat in the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series, and the 30-year-old is primed for a run at an historic fourth consecutive win on a track where he will be looking to exact some revenge. With victories at Atlanta, Circuit of the Americas and Phoenix, the Norman, Okla., native is the first driver to win three Cup races in a row since Kyle Larson did so in 2021. He is also the first driver to win three out of the first four since Kevin Harvick in 2018. Compared to Harvick's early-season thrashing of the field seven years ago, Bell hasn't been quite as dominant. That's not a knock on Bell, but rather an indication of how NASCAR's schedule has changed. The first four races of 2025 featured two superspeedways, a road course and a one-mile oval. The first four races of 2018 featured Daytona being followed by three conventional ovals in a pre-reconfiguration Atlanta, Las Vegas and Phoenix. During his three-race win streak at the start of 2018, Harvick led 433 laps, compared to Bell's 114 over his three-race win streak. During his streak, Harvick scored a combined 149 laps, compared to Bell's 139 over his three-race streak. As Bell prepares to race for a fourth consecutive win at Las Vegas on Sunday, it's worth looking back at Harvick's attempt at a fourth straight win in 2018. Harvick was involved in an early crash at that year's Auto Club 400 and finished 35th. It was a race indicative of the nature of NASCAR: no matter how high you are, you can always be brought down. Bell hopes to avoid a similar fate at Las Vegas. Harvick's fourth win of 2018 came seven races after his third in the AAA 400 at Dover. While Harvick made the Championship 4 for the fourth time in five seasons, he and the rest of the 'Big Three; that included Kyle Busch and Martin Truex Jr. saw their title hopes crushed by Joey Logano. When looking for the best start to a season in Cup Series history, Bill Elliott's 1992 season has to come to mind. After leaving Melling Racing at the conclusion of 1991, Elliott landed with Junior Johnson as the driver of the flagship No. 11 car. While his season would ultimately end in a heartbreaking championship defeat at the hands of journeyman Alan Kulwicki, nobody could touch Elliott over the first five races of 1992. A 27th-place finish at Daytona was disappointing for the two-time Daytona 500 winner, but over the next four weeks, Elliott was far and away the best driver in the field. Wins at Rockingham, Richmond, Atlanta and Darlington solidified him as a championship threat, though he remained behind fellow title contender Davey Allison in the points standings despite his tear. Different points systems and race lengths prohibit a cross-examination between Elliott and Bell's respective streaks, but it should be noted that Elliott led 747 of a possible 1,587 laps during his win streak. Unfortunately for Elliott, his dominance ran out in race six at Bristol, where he finished 20th -- 30 laps down. Following his four-race win streak, he would fail to find victory lane again until the infamous season-finale at Atlanta, where Elliott's fifth win of 1992 failed to deliver him a second Winston Cup title. Bell now shifts his attention to going for a fourth consecutive win, a feat accomplished by the aforementioned Elliott, Harry Gant -- AKA 'Mr. September' for winning four races in a row in September of 1991 -- and Richard Petty, who won 10 in a row in 1967, among others. The bad news for the field? Bell is due for a trip to Victory Lane in Sin City. In his past four starts at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Bell has three top-five finishes and has led 216 laps. Of those 216, 155 of them came in a dominant performance at LVMS in October of 2024, where Bell saw Joey Logano and crew chief Paul Wolfe steal a win that catapulted the No. 22 team to the Championship 4. That race wasn't just a heartbreaking loss on an otherwise dominant day for Bell, but also ended up being the difference in Bell missing the Championship 4. The spring race at Las Vegas hasn't been quite as kind to Bell as its fall counterpart, but with how fast Bell is at the moment, that might not matter. He'll undoubtedly be near the top of the list of race favorites this week and in the weeks following. A glance further down the Cup Series schedule shows tracks where Bell can continue his white-hot start. Should Bell win his fourth consecutive race at Las Vegas, the chance for a fifth at Homestead-Miami glimmers in the Florida sun. Bell has top-five finishes in the past two Homestead races, including a win that lifted him and the No. 20 team to the Championship 4 in 2023. The week after Homestead, the Cup Series travels to Martinsville, where Bell won in the fall of 2022 to advance to what was his first Championship 4. With Darlington and Bristol leading off the month of April, Talladega on April 27 may be Bell's biggest hurdle until the summer. Then again, superspeedway races likely seem less daunting to the No. 20 team following Bell's victory at Atlanta. Whether Bell's streak ends next week or continues at Las Vegas and beyond, his three-race win streak has been an historic and undeniably impressive run that has the opportunity to grow and place him alongside the sport's greats. If you still don't have Christopher Bell on your radar as a championship favorite, it's past time to declare him the biggest threat the Cup Series field as seen since Larson in 2021. Field Level Media 2025 - All Rights Reserved
