Kevin Harvick facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Kevin Harvick |
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Harvick at Dover Motor Speedway in 2023
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| Born | Kevin Michael Harvick December 8, 1975 Bakersfield, California, U.S. |
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| Height | 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) | ||||||
| Weight | 175 lb (79 kg) | ||||||
| Achievements | 2014 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Champion 2020 NASCAR Cup Series Regular Season Champion 2001, 2006 Busch Series Champion 1998 Winston West Series Champion 2002 IROC Champion 2007 Daytona 500 Winner 2003, 2019, 2020 Brickyard 400 Winner 2011, 2013 Coca-Cola 600 Winner 2007 NEXTEL All-Star Challenge Winner 2009, 2010, 2013 Sprint Unlimited Winner 2014, 2020 Cook Out Southern 500 Winner 2018 Monster Energy NASCAR All-Star Race Winner All-time wins leader at Phoenix International Raceway (9) 2008 Oxford 250 Winner |
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| Awards | 2001 NASCAR Winston Cup Series Rookie of the Year 2000 NASCAR Busch Series Rookie of the Year 2001 NASCAR Busch Series Most Popular Driver 1995 NASCAR Featherlite Southwest Series Rookie of the Year 2015 ESPY Awards Best Driver Named one of NASCAR's 75 Greatest Drivers (2023) West Coast Stock Car Hall of Fame (2023) |
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| NASCAR Cup Series career | |||||||
| 826 races run over 23 years | |||||||
| 2023 position | 13th | ||||||
| Best finish | 1st (2014) | ||||||
| First race | 2001 Dura Lube 400 (Rockingham) | ||||||
| Last race | 2023 NASCAR Cup Series Championship Race (Phoenix) | ||||||
| First win | 2001 Cracker Barrel Old Country Store 500 (Atlanta) | ||||||
| Last win | 2022 Federated Auto Parts 400 (Richmond) | ||||||
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| NASCAR Xfinity Series career | |||||||
| 349 races run over 21 years | |||||||
| 2021 position | 77th | ||||||
| Best finish | 1st (2001, 2006) | ||||||
| First race | 1999 Kmart 200 (Rockingham) | ||||||
| Last race | 2021 Pennzoil 150 (Indianapolis G.P.) | ||||||
| First win | 2000 Carquest Auto Parts 250 (Gateway) | ||||||
| Last win | 2018 Rinnai 250 (Atlanta) | ||||||
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| NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series career | |||||||
| 124 races run over 19 years | |||||||
| 2021 position | 105th | ||||||
| Best finish | 12th (1999) | ||||||
| First race | 1995 Spears Manufacturing 200 (Mesa Marin) | ||||||
| Last race | 2021 Pinty's Truck Race on Dirt (Bristol Dirt) | ||||||
| First win | 2002 Chevy Silverado 150 (Phoenix) | ||||||
| Last win | 2012 Kroger 250 (Martinsville) | ||||||
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| Statistics current as of November 5, 2023. | |||||||
Kevin Michael Harvick (born December 8, 1975) is a famous American stock car racing driver. He recently retired from full-time racing in the NASCAR Cup Series. Now, he works as a commentator for NASCAR on Fox.
Harvick is known for winning the Cup Series championship in 2014. He also won the Xfinity Series championships in 2001 and 2006. One of his biggest wins was the 2007 Daytona 500. He holds the record for the most Cup Series wins at Phoenix Raceway, with nine victories.
With 121 wins across NASCAR's top three series, Harvick ranks third all-time. Only Richard Petty and Kyle Busch have more wins. His 60 Cup Series wins place him tenth in history. Harvick started his NASCAR journey in 1992. He is one of only six drivers to win championships in both the Cup Series and Xfinity Series. He is also one of 36 drivers to win a race in all three of NASCAR's national series.
Since 2015, Harvick has worked as a broadcaster for NASCAR on FOX, covering Xfinity Series races. After retiring from Cup Series racing, he will commentate on Cup Series races for Fox starting in 2024.
Harvick also owns Kevin Harvick Incorporated, a racing team. This team used to compete in the Xfinity and Truck Series. He has a few nicknames, like "the Closer" and "Happy Harvick." Sometimes he's called "Hot Humid Harvick" because he often wins in hot weather.
Contents
Early Life and Racing Start
Kevin Harvick was born in 1975 in Bakersfield, California. His parents were Mike and JoNell Harvick. He has a younger sister named Amber.
Starting with Go-Karts
Harvick began kart racing when he was very young. His parents gave him a go-kart as a kindergarten graduation gift. He looked up to IndyCar driver Rick Mears, who was also from Bakersfield. Kevin even raced go-karts with Mears' son, Clint. He was very successful in go-karting, winning seven national championships. He also earned two Grand National championships.
High School and Early Car Racing
While in high school, Harvick started racing late model cars part-time in 1992. This was in the NASCAR AutoZone Elite Division, Southwest Series. During the racing off-season, he was on the North High School wrestling team. He even qualified for a championship in his senior year. Harvick also played baseball, basketball, football, and soccer.
After high school, he went to Bakersfield College. He planned to study architecture. However, he later left college to focus on his racing career full-time.
Kevin Harvick's NASCAR Journey
First Steps in NASCAR (1995-1999)
Harvick made his debut in the Craftsman Truck Series in 1995. This first race was at Mesa Marin Raceway in his hometown. He drove his family's No. 72 truck. The next year, he raced in four events, with his best finish being 11th.
In 1997, he joined Spears Motorsports. He had two eighth-place finishes that season. The following year, he raced a full schedule. He earned three top-five finishes and ended 17th in points. Harvick also started racing in the NASCAR Grand National Division, AutoZone West Series in 1997. In 1998, he won five races and became the Winston West Series champion for Spears. He gained national attention during the 1997/1998 winter season. This was thanks to ESPN2's coverage of the NASCAR Winter Heat Series. In 1999, he drove the No. 98 Ford for Liberty Racing. He finished 12th in points with six top-five finishes.
Busch Series Success (1999-2000)
On October 23, 1999, Harvick made his first NASCAR Busch Series start. He drove the No. 2 Chevrolet at Rockingham Speedway. An engine problem caused him to finish 42nd. This was his only start in 1999.
In 2000, Harvick signed with Richard Childress Racing for his first full Busch Series season. He won the NASCAR Busch Series Rookie of the Year award. He had three wins, eight top-five finishes, and 16 top-tens. He also finished third in the points standings.
Cup Series Debut and a Big Win (2001)
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In 2001, Richard Childress planned for Harvick to race full-time in the Busch Series. He also wanted to slowly introduce him to the Winston Cup Series. However, the tragic death of Dale Earnhardt at the 2001 Daytona 500 changed everything. Harvick quickly stepped in to fill Earnhardt's spot. He raced the renumbered No. 29 Chevrolet in his first Cup race the very next week.
On March 11, 2001, just three weeks after Earnhardt's death, Harvick won his first Winston Cup race. He won the Cracker Barrel Old Country Store 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway by a tiny margin. After his win, he honored Earnhardt by driving backward on the track. He held up three fingers, showing respect for Earnhardt's car number. This win set a record for the earliest career win for a driver.
He earned his second Cup win at Chicagoland Speedway. By the end of the season, he had two wins, six top-fives, and 16 top-tens. Harvick was named NASCAR Rookie of the Year. He finished ninth in the 2001 points standings. He also won the Busch Series championship. This made him the first driver to win the Busch Series championship while racing full-time in the Winston Cup Series. He had a very busy year, making 69 starts across different series.
Challenges and Championships (2002-2006)
In 2002, Harvick focused mainly on the Cup Series. He started the 2002 Daytona 500 on the outside pole. However, his race ended early in a big crash. Later that season, he faced penalties for his actions in a Truck race at Martinsville. NASCAR suspended him from the next day's Cup Series race. Despite this, he earned his first Cup pole position at Daytona. He also won his third Cup race at Chicagoland Speedway. He finished 21st in points that year. Harvick also became the 2002 IROC Champion. He also started his own No. 6 truck team, winning a race at Phoenix.
In 2003, Harvick teamed up with crew chief Todd Berrier. They had won the Busch championship together in 2001. They won the Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis. Harvick finished fifth in the Cup points standings. In the Busch Series, he and Johnny Sauter won the owners' championship for Childress. Harvick contributed three wins to this effort.
The 2004 season was Harvick's first without a Cup win. He had a strange incident at Bristol Motor Speedway. His arm went numb, and Kyle Petty had to replace him in the race. He missed the inaugural Chase for the Cup. He finished 14th in points with fourteen top-ten finishes. In the Busch Series, he and rookie Clint Bowyer combined for one win. Harvick also won the final Busch race of the season.
In 2005, Harvick's only Cup win came at Bristol Motor Speedway. He won the Food City 500 despite starting near the back. He also achieved his first "sweep" at Bristol. This meant he won both the Busch and Cup races on the same weekend. He finished 14th in Cup points.
The year 2006 was a big one for Harvick. He decided to race full-time in both the Cup and Busch Series. He won his second Busch Series championship. He had nine wins, 23 top-fives, and 32 top-tens in the Busch Series. He clinched the title with four races left, a record for the Busch Series. In the Cup Series, Harvick made it into the Chase for the Cup. He had three wins and finished fourth in the final standings.
Daytona 500 Victory and More (2007-2013)
Harvick started 2007 with a thrilling win in the Daytona 500. He beat Mark Martin by a tiny margin. This made him one of only a few drivers to win both the Nationwide and Cup races at Daytona's opening weekend. He also won the Sprint All-Star Race that year. In the Nationwide Series, he won at Daytona, New Hampshire International Speedway, and Montreal.
In 2008, Harvick didn't win any Cup races. However, he still finished fourth in the 2008 Chase for the Sprint Cup. He also had no DNFs (Did Not Finish) for the second year in a row. His only win that year was in a Truck race at Phoenix.
The 2009 season was another winless one for Harvick in the Cup Series. But he started strong by winning the Budweiser Shootout. He also finished second in the 2009 Daytona 500. He had five wins combined in the Nationwide and Truck series. He missed the Chase for the first time since 2005, finishing 19th in points.
Harvick's 2010 season was a comeback year. He won the Budweiser Shootout again. He led the most laps in the Daytona 500, finishing seventh. He then had two second-place finishes. He won the Aaron's 499 after a record 88 lead changes. He also won the Coke Zero 400 at Daytona and the Carfax 400 at Michigan. These wins secured his spot in the Chase. He finished the regular season first in points and ended the Chase in third place. He also earned his first pole position in the Truck Series.
In 2012, Harvick made the Chase through consistent finishes. He won his only race of the season at Phoenix. He finished eighth in the points standings.
The 2013 season was Harvick's last with Richard Childress Racing. He started by winning the Sprint Unlimited for the third time. He also won his Budweiser Duel race. He won his first race of the season at Richmond. He then won his second Coca-Cola 600. Harvick also earned his first pole position since 2006. He dominated that race, leading 138 laps, and won. He won his fourth race of the year at Phoenix. He finished the season third in points with four wins.
Stewart-Haas Racing and Championship Glory (2014)
On January 22, 2013, it was confirmed that Harvick would join Stewart–Haas Racing for the 2014 season. He would drive the No. 4 Chevrolet. He kept Budweiser as his main sponsor. He also planned to race part-time in the Nationwide Series for JR Motorsports.
Harvick started the 2014 season with a win at Phoenix. He led 224 of 312 laps. This was his first win for Stewart-Haas Racing. It also broke Jimmie Johnson's record for most wins at Phoenix.
However, he then had a tough stretch of five races with bad finishes due to car issues. At Darlington, Harvick dominated the Bojangles' Southern 500 and won. He almost won the Coca-Cola 600 but finished second.
During the Chase, which had a new elimination format, Harvick won the Bank of America 500 at Charlotte. This win moved him to the next round. At Texas, he finished second. At Phoenix, Harvick won again, sweeping both races there in 2014. This sent him to the final round of the Chase at Homestead.
At Homestead–Miami Speedway, Harvick was consistent all day. After a late caution, he pitted for new tires. He then took the lead and held off Ryan Newman to win the Ford Ecoboost 400. This victory secured Kevin Harvick's first career Sprint Cup Series championship.
Continued Success and Retirement (2015-2023)
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In 2015, Harvick started strong by finishing second in the Daytona 500. He then won at Las Vegas and Phoenix, his fourth straight win at Phoenix. He had a streak of eight top-two finishes. At Dover, Harvick dominated and won, securing his spot in the next round of the Chase. At Homestead, he finished second in the race and the championship to Kyle Busch. Harvick led the points standings for most of the regular season.
In 2016, Harvick got his first win of the season at Phoenix. He beat Carl Edwards by a very small margin. This was his eighth win at Phoenix. He won his second race of the season at Bristol. He then won at Loudon, passing Matt Kenseth on a late restart. Harvick won his fourth race of the season at Kansas, leading 267 laps. He finished eighth in the final standings.
For 2017, Stewart-Haas Racing switched from Chevrolet to Ford. Harvick won the K&N Pro Series West race at Sonoma Raceway. The next day, he won the Toyota/Save Mart 350, sweeping the weekend. He struggled in the early playoff rounds but advanced due to his playoff points. He won at Texas, securing a spot in the Championship 4. He finished third in the final standings.
Harvick started 2018 with dominant wins at Atlanta, Las Vegas, and Phoenix. This was his first time winning three races in a row. He won his fourth race at Dover and his fifth at Kansas. He also won the All-Star Race. He then won at New Hampshire and Michigan, bringing his total to seven wins. He won his eighth race of the season at Texas. He finished third in the points standings, tying Kyle Busch for the most wins that year.
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In 2019, Harvick won Duel 1 at Daytona. He had a strong run of six straight top-ten finishes. He won at New Hampshire, Michigan, and Indianapolis. He had a very consistent playoff run. He won his fourth race of the season at Texas. This earned him his fifth appearance in the Championship 4. He finished third in the standings for the third year in a row.
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The 2020 season saw Harvick win the regular-season championship. He earned his 50th career win at Darlington. This put him ahead of his car owner Tony Stewart in all-time wins. He also won at Atlanta, Pocono, Indianapolis, and swept the Michigan doubleheader. He clinched the regular-season championship after his seventh win at Dover. He won the Southern 500 and the Bristol Night Race, bringing his total to nine wins. He was eliminated in the Round of 8 and finished fifth in points.
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In 2022, Harvick broke a 65-race winless streak at Michigan. He then won his 60th, and final, career victory at Richmond. He faced challenges in the playoffs, including his car catching fire at Darlington. He was eliminated in the Round of 16. His crew chief also received a penalty for a car modification. Harvick finished 15th in the points standings.
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On January 12, 2023, Harvick announced he would retire at the end of the 2023 season. He started his final season with consistent top-ten finishes. He almost won at Phoenix for a record tenth time. In his final All-Star Race, his car used the No. 29 and a special paint scheme to honor his first win in 2001. He made the playoffs in his final season but was eliminated in the Round of 16. His second-place finish at Talladega was later disqualified due to a car issue. Harvick finished his Cup Series career with a seventh-place finish at Phoenix and 13th in the points standings.
In 2024, Harvick was a standby driver for Kyle Larson at North Wilkesboro Speedway for the 2024 NASCAR All-Star race.
Broadcasting Career
In 2015, Harvick began working as a rotating analyst for Xfinity Series races on NASCAR on Fox. He was one of several drivers who took on this role. In June 2017, Harvick was a play-by-play commentator for an Xfinity race. He worked alongside Joey Logano and Clint Bowyer. They did this as part of a "Drivers Only" broadcast.
On February 5, 2023, Fox Sports announced that Harvick would join the Fox NASCAR broadcast booth in 2024. He will work with Mike Joy and his former teammate Clint Bowyer.
Personal Life
Kevin Harvick married DeLana (Linville) Harvick on February 28, 2001. They met in 2000 at Michigan International Speedway. DeLana was working in public relations for another driver at the time. She is very involved in Harvick's career. She co-owns KHI Management LLC and often appears on his pit box during races.
The couple lives in Charlotte, North Carolina. They have a son, Keelan, born in 2012, and a daughter, Piper, born in 2017. Keelan is also involved in racing, competing in kart racing and legend car racing. In 2021, Keelan even joined his dad in an eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series race.
Harvick is a big fan of the Philadelphia Flyers hockey team. He also supports the New York Yankees baseball team. In 2011, he threw out the first pitch at a Yankees game.
Kevin Harvick Foundation
In 2010, Kevin and DeLana Harvick started the Kevin Harvick Foundation (KHF). Its goal is to support programs that help children across the United States. The foundation works to improve kids' lives. It also helps underprivileged youth find and achieve their dreams. They support programs like scholarships, camper cabins, and Boys & Girls Clubs.
Images for kids
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Harvick's 1997 Winston West car
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Harvick's 1997 Craftsman Series truck
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Harvick (#21) during his 2006 Busch championship season, racing Dale Earnhardt Jr. (#8) off pit road
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2008 Sprint Cup car
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2009 Sprint Cup car following a crash
