Kevin Harvick Announces Retirement From NASCAR After 2023 Season
Kevin Harvick is a NASCAR Cup Series veteran and announced his retirement from the series at the end of the 2023 season.
Harvick uploaded a video to his Facebook page, where he said: “All I’ve ever wanted to do was race. It started when I was five and unbelievably by the time I was 25 I was in the NASCAR Cup Series.”
“I’ve called NASCAR’s premiere series my home for the last 22 years,” He continued. “I’ve seen a lot. I’ve done a lot. And I’m grateful for the opportunity.”
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Harvick went on, “I’m always ready for a new season. It presents new challenges and it forces you to find new ways to outsmart and outrun the competition. But come November when the checkered flag drops on the season finale in Phoenix, it will also be my final race as a NASCAR Cup Series driver. It’s time to call time. To enjoy all that we’ve achieved as a race team and to savor with the ones that have made this journey possible.”
#4EVER pic.twitter.com/iH5dzpt4HY
— Kevin Harvick (@KevinHarvick) January 12, 2023
“The unbelievable became the believable thanks to the help and support of so many. A new chapter is calling, one where being a dad and husband takes precedence over being a driver. But that chapter is still a year away. There’s still more to be written. Not on paper, but on asphalt, and who knows maybe even on dirt.”
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“The hunger to compete is still there,” Harvick concluded as he cracked open a can of Busch. “Here’s to the final season being the best season.”
Harvick has currently racked up 60 wins in the NASCAR Cup Series, 245 Top 5s, and 430 Top 10s. He won the NASCAR Championship back in 2014 and was the Regular Series Champion in 2020.
Over his 22-year career he has an average finish of 12.7.
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Harvick’s retirement announcement also comes in the wake of his announcement that he joined the new ownership group for the premiere Late Model Stock Car series in the southeast, the CARS Tour.
Earlier this month, Harvick tweeted, “Late Model racing has always been a passion of mine as I grew up racing LMSC on the West Coast and I want to ensure short-track asphalt racing and the CARS Tour continue to grow and succeed!!”
Harvick joined Dale Earnhardt Jr., Jeff Burton, and Trackhouse Racing’s Justin Marks in taking over ownership of the series.
Harvick’s team owner and former competitor, Tony Stewart, had words of high praise following Harvick’s announcement.
Stewart stated, “Kevin, I remember my first impression of you: just another punk racer with a fiery reputation. And damn I’ve never been happier to be wrong.”
“Like myself, I think you are often misunderstood. You’ve done things your way and never apologized for it. When others misunderstood us, we understood each other. That mutual respect as a competitor grew into a friendship and that friendship has allowed me to get to know the man behind the visor. A man that’s consistent, calculated, family-oriented, and fierce.”
Kevin, you’ve made the boss 4EVER proud.
For competing fiercely, caring deeply, speaking up & never settling.
By doing it your way, without apology & elevating our team.
Now let’s make your final laps the best laps.
Savor the season. Take it in. Compete like hell.#4EVER pic.twitter.com/ubYAbZvGvj
— Stewart-Haas Racing (@StewartHaasRcng) January 12, 2023
“Looking back, I remember your first Cup race. Faced with unimaginable circumstances, you climbed in with grace and came out a fearless racer,” Stewart recalled.
“As a competitor, there isn’t anyone better,” Stewart touted. “One of the smartest, most versatile drivers I’ve ever raced with. You’ve always found a way to be competitive. And if we got you close, you always could find a way to get us to the end.”
“I was relieved when you finally joined my side as a teammate and employee you were a natural choice. I knew you had talent, and you knew what you needed to be successful. Hell, you made my job easy. I know you don’t like to hear these things, but you are the flagship at SHR. Single-handedly without a doubt the greatest racer we ever had,” Stewart praised.
“I remember the day we signed you and the day you wont the Championship,” Stewart recalled. “I’ve never seen Gene smile so big. While that might seem like your defining moment here, your legacy at SHR will not be defined by trophies, but how you elevated our race team. You brought a mentality, a my way or the highway approach. One that insists we never settle for second best. A voice of reason for those around you. You speak up when others stay silent.”
“You have a desire, dedication, and passion that’s hard to tame. And your mark will stay with us long after you’ve hung up your helmet,” he declared.
“What you’ve done off the track is equally impressive,” Stewart asserted. “Your family is my family. And behind the pranks and the cheeky moments, it’s been a joy to see your dedication to DeLana, Keelan, and Piper. Hopefully, they know I’ll always be Uncle Smoke. And as a friend there’s no one that cares more about the people that cares about the people in his life. You always want what’s best for them.”
” You’ve given me advice when I didn’t know I needed it, and now I get to return the favor,” Stewart said. “In your last season, savor every lap. I know that you’ll do the same thing you’ve done for the last 22 years. Race like hell. But take it all in. Take a deep breath and realize the little things are actually the big things. A hug from Keelan and Piper, the click from the Hans, the snap of putting on your steering wheel, the firing of the engine, the roar of the crowd, and a Busch Light with your team. Enjoy these moments because they don’t last forever.”
“And no matter what you’ve made me forever proud,” Stewart concluded.
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