Kevin Harvick to retire from full-time NASCAR competition after 2023

 

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   On Wednesday evening, January 11, 2023, it was revealed to the NASCAR community that veteran driver, Kevin Harvick intends to retire after the 2023 season. 

The following morning this news was confirmed by Stewart-Haas Racing and made official.

Although rumors of this Cup Series Champion’s retirement have existed for multiple years, the discovery of a patch on a new fire suit of Harvick’s insinuated the news. In addition, the account of multiple sources in the NASCAR community further confirmed this situation, before the race team made the official announcement Thursday.

Serious rumors about Kevin Harvick have been circling around the motorsports fanbase for the past few months, but loosely for years. Rumors of retirement for the 2014 NASCAR Cup Series Champion have been more than common place, after all, Harvick has accomplished almost everything in his 23 year tenure.

The 60-time winner at the NASCAR Cup Series level put up some other amazing statistic numbers over his career, including 245 top-five finishes, 430 top-10 finishes, and 31 pole positions. All these, in 790 starts. Of course, Kevin Harvick has one more season to add to these stats.

Harvick's NASCAR Cup Series career began abruptly, as he became the replacement driver for the late Dale Earnhardt, who had died in a last lap crash in the 2001 "Daytona" 500. Dale's famous black No. 3 Chevrolet Monte Carlo became the white, No. 29 car for Kevin Harvick. 

Just a few weeks later, the Richard Childress Racing driver would wind up in victory lane for the first time, winning at Atlanta Motor Speedway. That would be just the beginning of Harvick's Hall of Fame worthy NASCAR Cup Series career.

From 2001 to 2013, Harvick raced the No. 29 car at Richard Childress Racing, picking up 23 wins, and numerous top-five finishes in the championship points. His methodical driving style, scrappy unapologetic attitude made him seem like a championship-caliber driver. However, his stay at Richard Childress Racing would come to an end in 2013. There were multiple likely reasons that he left the No. 29 car, but maybe it was for the best.

Harvick would sign with Stewart-Haas Racing to drive the No. 4 car for the 2014 season, and with the pairing of crew chief Rodney Childers, they would get off to a great start. Five wins, 14 top-5's and 20 top-10 finishes would lead Harvick to win the 2014 NASCAR Cup Series Championship. The 2015 season would result in a runner-up finish in the championship race. Despite a nine-race win season in 2020, the No. 4 team would not go on to win the championship.

Throughout his career, Kevin Harvick has accomplished feats that his competitors could only dream of. Undergoing abrupt changes, and coming out victorious the way that he did are just some of the things Kevin Harvick’s loyal fan base will remember about the driver.

4EVER a Racer
4EVER a Family Man
4EVER The Closer
4EVER a Champion
4EVER a Legacy
4EVER No. 4 pic.twitter.com/yqp0OxKyqt

— Stewart-Haas Racing (@StewartHaasRcng) January 12, 2023

 

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