Kevin Harvick facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Kevin Harvick
Harvick at Dover Motor Speedway in 2023
Born	Kevin Michael Harvick (1975-12-08) December 8, 1975 (age 49) Bakersfield, California, U.S.
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
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)
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)
Wins Top tens Poles 60 444 31
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)
Wins Top tens Poles 47 261 25
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)
Wins Top tens Poles 14 62 4
Statistics current as of November 5, 2023.

Kevin Michael Harvick (born December 8, 1975) is an American semi-retired professional stock car racing driver. He is also a commentator for NASCAR on Fox.

Harvick last raced full-time in the NASCAR Cup Series. He drove the No. 4 Ford Mustang for Stewart–Haas Racing. Kevin won the Cup Series championship in 2014. He also won the Xfinity Series championships in 2001 and 2006. In 2007, he won the famous Daytona 500 race.

Harvick holds the record for most Cup Series wins at Phoenix Raceway with nine victories. His 121 combined wins in NASCAR's national series rank him third all-time. Only Richard Petty and Kyle Busch have more wins. His 60 Cup wins place him tenth in series history. Kevin started his NASCAR career in 1992. He is one of only six drivers to win championships in both the Cup Series and the 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. He called Xfinity Series races. After retiring from full-time Cup Series racing in 2023, Harvick joined Fox to call Cup Series races starting in 2024.

Harvick also owned a race team called Kevin Harvick Incorporated. This team competed in the Xfinity Series and Truck Series until 2011. His team's No. 29 late model car is driven by Brent Crews in the CARS Tour. The No. 62 late model is driven by different drivers, including Harvick himself. In the racing world, he is sometimes called "the Closer" or "Happy Harvick."

Early Life and Racing Start

Kevin Harvick was born in 1975 in Bakersfield, California. His parents are Mike and JoNell Harvick. He has a younger sister named Amber. Kevin started kart racing at a young age. His parents gave him a go-kart as a kindergarten graduation gift.

Harvick was a fan of IndyCar driver Rick Mears, who was also from Bakersfield. He even raced go-karts with Mears' son, Clint. Kevin was very successful in go-kart racing. He won seven national championships and two Grand National championships.

While in high school, Harvick began racing late model cars part-time in 1992. This was in the NASCAR Featherlite Southwest Series. During the racing offseason, he was on the North High School wrestling team. He even qualified for a championship title in his senior year. Harvick also played baseball, basketball, football, and soccer. After high school, he went to Bakersfield College to study architecture. However, he later left college to focus on his racing career.

NASCAR Career Highlights

Starting in NASCAR

Harvick's 1997 Winston West car

Harvick's 1997 Craftsman Series truck

Harvick made his first Craftsman Truck Series race in 1995. It was at Mesa Marin Raceway in his hometown. He finished 27th in his family's No. 72 truck. The next year, he raced four times in the No. 72. His best finish was 11th.

In 1997, he joined Spears Motorsports to drive the No. 75 truck. He finished eighth twice that season. The next year, he raced a full schedule, getting three top-five finishes. Harvick also moved up to the NASCAR Grand National Division, AutoZone West Series in 1997. In 1998, he won five races and the Winston West Series championship for Spears. He gained national attention during the 1997/1998 NASCAR Winter Heat Series. In 1999, he drove the No. 98 Ford and had six top-five finishes.

Busch Series Debut (1999–2000)

On October 23, 1999, Harvick raced in his first NASCAR Busch Series event. It was the Kmart 200 at Rockingham Speedway. He started 24th but finished 42nd because of engine trouble. This was his only race in 1999.

In 2000, Harvick joined Richard Childress Racing to drive the No. 2 Chevrolet full-time in the Busch Series. He won the NASCAR Busch Series Rookie of the Year award. He also had three wins, eight top-five finishes, and 16 top-ten finishes. He ended the season in third place in points.

Cup Series Debut and Early Success (2001)

Kevin Harvick's No. 29 GM Goodwrench Chevrolet Monte Carlo

In 2001, Richard Childress planned for Harvick to race full-time in the Busch Series and a few races in the Cup Series. However, the sad death of Dale Earnhardt at the 2001 Daytona 500 changed everything. Harvick started his first Cup race the very next week. He took over Earnhardt's No. 29 Chevrolet.

On March 11, 2001, just three weeks after Earnhardt's passing, Harvick won his first Cup race. It was the Cracker Barrel Old Country Store 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway. He won by a tiny margin of 0.006 seconds over Jeff Gordon. After the win, he honored Earnhardt by driving backward on the track and holding up three fingers. This was a tribute to Earnhardt's car number.

Harvick won his second Cup race at Chicagoland Speedway. He finished the season with two wins, six top-fives, and 16 top-tens. He earned the NASCAR Rookie of the Year Award and finished ninth in the points standings. He also won the Busch Series championship, making him the first driver to win the Busch Series title while racing full-time in the Cup Series.

Continuing to Compete (2002–2005)

In 2002, Harvick focused mainly on the Cup Series. He started the 2002 Daytona 500 from the outside pole position. However, he was involved in a large crash and finished 36th. Later that year, he faced penalties for his actions in a Truck Series race at Martinsville. He was suspended from the Cup Series race the next day. Despite this, he earned his first Cup Series pole position at Daytona. He also won his third Cup race at Chicagoland. He finished 21st in points. Harvick also became the 2002 IROC Champion. He won a Truck Series race at Phoenix.

Harvick's No. 29 before the 2003 Daytona 500

In 2003, Harvick teamed with crew chief Todd Berrier. They won the Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis. Harvick finished fifth in the Cup Series points. In the Busch Series, he won three races and helped his team win the owners' championship.

The 2004 season was Harvick's first without a Cup Series win. He had 14 top-ten finishes and ended 14th in points. He also had some conflicts with other drivers. In the Busch Series, he won two races.

Harvick at Atlanta Motor Speedway in 2005.

In 2005, Harvick's only Cup win came at Bristol Motor Speedway. He won both the Busch Series and Cup Series races at Bristol, which is called a "sweep." He finished 14th in the Cup standings.

Second Busch Championship and Chase Appearance (2006)

Harvick awaiting Happy Hour prior to his win at Phoenix in 2006

In 2006, Harvick decided to race full-time in both the Cup Series and the Busch Series. He won nine Busch Series races. He clinched the 2006 NASCAR Busch Series championship very early, with four races left. He finished the season with a record 824-point lead.

Harvick (#21) during his 2006 Busch championship season, racing Dale Earnhardt Jr. (#8) off pit road

In the Cup Series, Harvick made it into the Chase for the Cup for the first time. He had three wins before the Chase began. After a strong win at New Hampshire, his Chase performance was not as good. However, he won at Phoenix International Raceway and finished fourth in the final standings.

Daytona 500 Victory (2007)

Harvick started the 2007 season by winning the 2007 Daytona 500. He beat Mark Martin by a very small margin of 0.020 seconds. This was the closest finish at the Daytona 500 since 1993. He became one of only a few drivers to win both the Daytona 500 and the Brickyard 400. His only other win that year was the Sprint All-Star Race. He finished 10th in points.

In the Nationwide Series (formerly Busch Series), Harvick won the Orbitz 300 at Daytona. He also won at New Hampshire International Speedway and the first-ever race at Montreal, the NAPA Auto Parts 200.

Winless Seasons and Comeback (2008–2010)

Harvick's 2008 Sprint Cup car

Harvick did not win any Cup Series races in 2008. However, he still finished fourth in the 2008 Chase for the Sprint Cup. He also completed every race without a DNF (Did Not Finish) for the second year in a row. He won one Truck Series race at Phoenix.

Harvick's 2009 Sprint Cup car after a crash

In 2009, Harvick again went winless in the Cup Series. He started the year by winning the Budweiser Shootout. He finished second in the 2009 Daytona 500. He had five wins in the Nationwide and Truck Series that year. He missed the Chase for the first time since 2005 and finished 19th in points.

The 2010 season was a great comeback for Harvick. He won the Budweiser Shootout again. He won three Cup Series races: the Aaron's 499 at Talladega, the Coke Zero 400 at Daytona, and the Carfax 400 at Michigan. His win at Michigan secured his spot in the Chase. He finished the regular season first in points. In the Chase, he had five top-fives and nine top-tens. Harvick finished third overall in the championship. He also earned his first pole position in the Truck Series.

Feuds and Team Changes (2011–2013)

Harvick's No. 29 at Pocono Raceway in 2011

In 2011, Harvick got new sponsors, Budweiser and Jimmy John's. He won his 15th career Cup race at Auto Club Speedway. He also won at Martinsville Speedway, the Coca-Cola 600, and Richmond.

During 2011, Kevin Harvick had a rivalry with fellow driver Kyle Busch. They had several incidents on track. Harvick finished third in Cup points and won the 2011 Truck Series Owner's Championship for his team. At the end of 2011, Harvick closed his team, Kevin Harvick, Inc. He wanted to focus on winning a Cup Series championship. He sold his team to Richard Childress.

Harvick competing in the 2013 STP Gas Booster 500 at Martinsville Speedway.

In 2012, Harvick made the Chase through consistent finishes, even though he didn't win in the regular season. He won his only race of the year at Phoenix. He finished eighth in points.

Harvick's car at Texas in 2013.

The 2013 season was Harvick's last with Richard Childress Racing. He won the Budweiser Shootout for the third time. He also won his Budweiser Duels race. He won four Cup races: Richmond, the Coca-Cola 600, Kansas, and Phoenix. He finished third in the points standings again.

Stewart-Haas Racing and Championship (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. Budweiser and Jimmy John's continued to be his sponsors. He also planned to race part-time in the Nationwide Series for JR Motorsports.

Harvick in victory lane after winning the 2014 The Profit on CNBC 500

Harvick started the 2014 Daytona 500 in 38th place. The next week at Phoenix, he dominated the race, leading 224 laps, and won. This was his first win for Stewart-Haas Racing. After this, he had a tough stretch with several bad finishes due to car problems.

At Darlington, Harvick won the Bojangles' Southern 500. He almost won the Coca-Cola 600 but finished second. During the Chase playoffs, Harvick won the Bank of America 500 at Charlotte. This moved him to the next round.

At Phoenix, Harvick won again, sweeping both 2014 races at that track. This allowed him to reach the final round of the Chase at Homestead. At Homestead–Miami Speedway, Harvick raced consistently. After a late caution, he made a smart pit stop for new tires. He took the lead and held off Ryan Newman to win the Ford Ecoboost 400. This victory made Kevin Harvick the 2014 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Champion, his first Cup Series title.

Consistent Performance (2015–2017)

Harvick at Daytona in 2015

In 2015, Harvick finished second in the 2015 Daytona 500. He then won at Las Vegas and Phoenix, marking his seventh win at Phoenix. He had a streak of eight straight 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's No. 4 at Martinsville Speedway in 2016

In 2016, Harvick won at Phoenix again, his eighth win there. He also won at Bristol and Loudon. He won at Kansas, leading 267 laps. He finished eighth in the final standings.

Harvick at the 2017 K&N Pro Series West race at Sonoma Raceway

For 2017, Stewart-Haas Racing switched from Chevrolet to Ford. Harvick won the K&N Pro Series West event at Sonoma Raceway. The next day, he won the Toyota/Save Mart 350 Cup race, sweeping the weekend. He won at Texas, which secured his spot in the Championship 4 at Homestead. He finished third in the final standings.

More Wins and Playoff Runs (2018–2020)

Harvick racing in the 2018 Ford EcoBoost 400 at Homestead–Miami Speedway.

In 2018, Harvick had a strong start with back-to-back wins at Atlanta and Las Vegas. He then won at Phoenix, making it three wins in a row for the first time in his career. He also won at Dover, Kansas, and New Hampshire. He won his seventh race of the season at Michigan. He won his eighth race at Texas. Despite a penalty after the Texas win, he made it to the Championship 4. He finished third in the points standings, tying Kyle Busch for the most wins that year with eight.

Harvick racing at Atlanta Motor Speedway.

Harvick started 2019 by winning a Duel race at Daytona. He had a consistent season, with many top-ten finishes. He won at New Hampshire, Michigan, and Indianapolis. He made his fifth appearance in the Championship 4 in six years. He finished third in the standings for the third year in a row.

Harvick celebrating after winning the 2020 FireKeepers Casino 400

The 2020 season was very successful for Harvick. He won his 50th career Cup Series race at Darlington. He won at Atlanta, Pocono, and the Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis. He also swept both races at Michigan, winning on back-to-back days. After his seventh win at Dover, Harvick clinched the regular-season championship. He won the Southern 500 and the Bristol Night Race, bringing his total to nine wins for the season. Despite these wins, he was eliminated in the Round of 8 of the playoffs. He finished fifth in the points standings.

Final Full-Time Seasons (2021–2023)

Harvick racing at Sonoma Raceway in 2021

In 2021, Harvick had a consistent season with many top-ten finishes, but no wins. He made the playoffs. At the Bristol Night Race, he had an incident with Chase Elliott. Harvick was eliminated from the playoffs early, in the Round of 12. He finished fifth in the final standings.

Harvick's No. 4 car at Watkins Glen International in 2022

Harvick started the 2022 season with some ups and downs. He broke a 65-race winless streak by winning at Michigan. He then won his 60th and final career victory at Richmond a week later. In the playoffs, his car caught fire at Darlington, and he was involved in a crash at Kansas. He was eliminated in the Round of 16. He finished 15th in the points standings, his first time outside the top 10 since 2009.

Harvick racing at Bristol Motor Speedway in 2023

On January 12, 2023, Harvick announced he would retire from full-time racing at the end of the 2023 season. He had three consecutive top-ten finishes early in the year. In his final All-Star Race, Harvick used a special No. 29 car to honor his first career win. He made the playoffs in his final season but was eliminated in the Round of 16. He finished his Cup Series career with a seventh-place finish at Phoenix and 13th in the points standings.

2024 and Beyond

On April 28, 2024, it was announced that Harvick would be a standby driver for Kyle Larson at North Wilkesboro Speedway. This was for the 2024 NASCAR All-Star Race. Harvick participated in practice and qualifying for the event.

Other Racing Adventures

American Canadian Tour and ARCA Series

On July 21, 2008, Harvick won the TD Bank 250 race in Oxford, Maine. He became the first active NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver to win this major short track event. He also raced in two ARCA Bondo/Mar-Hyde Series events in 1999. He finished in the top-five both times.

CARS Tour Ownership

On January 9, 2023, a group including Kevin Harvick Incorporated bought the CARS Tour. This shows Harvick's continued involvement in racing, even after retiring from full-time driving.

Broadcasting Career

In 2015, Harvick began working as a rotating analyst for Xfinity Series races on NASCAR on Fox. He was one of four drivers to take on this role. He commentated at Daytona, Las Vegas, Dover, and a Truck Series race at Talladega.

In June 2017, Harvick was a play-by-play commentator for an Xfinity race at Pocono. This was part of a special "Drivers Only" broadcast. He worked with Joey Logano and Clint Bowyer. They repeated these roles in 2018 and 2019.

On February 5, 2023, Fox Sports announced that Harvick would join the Fox NASCAR broadcast booth full-time in 2024. He now works alongside Mike Joy and his former teammate Clint Bowyer. Harvick also serves as a play-by-play commentator for the Craftsman Truck Series.

Personal Life

DeLana Harvick at Charlotte Motor Speedway in May 2011.

Kevin Harvick married DeLana (Linville) Harvick on February 28, 2001. They met at Michigan International Speedway when she worked in public relations for another driver. DeLana is very involved in Harvick's career. She co-owns KHI Management LLC and often appears on his pit box during races.

Harvick in June 2006

The couple lives in Charlotte, North Carolina. They have a son, Keelan, born on July 8, 2012, and a daughter, Piper, born on December 28, 2017. Keelan is also involved in racing, competing in kart racing and legend car racing. In May 2025, Keelan won his first CARS Tour West race.

Harvick is a big fan of the Philadelphia Flyers hockey team. He also supports the New York Yankees baseball team. In August 2011, Harvick threw out the first pitch at a Yankees game.

Kevin Harvick Foundation

The Kevin Harvick Foundation (KHF) was started in 2010 by Kevin and DeLana. Its goal is to support programs that help children across the United States. The foundation works to improve kids' lives and help young people achieve their dreams. It supports programs like the Kevin Harvick Athletic Scholarship Fund and various Boys & Girls Clubs.

Motorsports Career Results

NASCAR

(key) (Bold – Pole position awarded by qualifying time.  – Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. * – Most laps led.)

Cup Series