Q&A: Kevin Harvick on wanting to be the John Madden of NASCAR broadcasts and reuniting with Clint Bowyer
LOS ANGELES — Kevin Harvick retired from NASCAR at the end of the 2023 Cup Series season after 23 years at the sport’s highest level. But he didn’t go far.
After gaining some on-and-off broadcasting experience with Fox Sports since 2015, the 48-year-old former driver of the No. 4 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford joined Fox’s booth full time as an analyst, working alongside Mike Joy and fellow former NASCAR driver and teammate Clint Bowyer. And he’s pumped about his new day job.
“I’m super happy with the way that everything has worked out,” Harvick — a future NASCAR Hall of Famer with the 2014 Cup championship, the 2007 Daytona 500 trophy and 60 Cup wins — recently told For The Win. “And for me, it’s as relaxed as I’ve ever been coming into the first race of the season and not having to worry about that competitive mindset.”
For the first time in more than two decades, he doesn’t have to worry about how fast his car is or being collateral damage in someone else’s wreck. And with his new gig, he’s at ease with a 24-year Fox veteran like Joy alongside him and running the booth.
“It’s hard to have somebody talking in your ear, talking about what you’re talking about on the screen and make sure everything’s going in the in the right direction,” Harvick said. “So having Mike be able to steer the ship and keep us all under control definitely takes a lot of pressure off.”
Ahead of NASCAR’s 2024 season-opening Daytona 500 — which is set for Sunday at 2:30 p.m. ET on Fox — For The Win caught up with Harvick to discuss how he’ll approach broadcasting, Trackhouse Racing driver Ross Chastain taking over his iconic Busch Light paint scheme and why he’ll still always be a vocal advocate for drivers.
.@RossChastain and @KevinHarvick are suiting up for the #Daytona500 and the next chapter of their careers in typical Busch Light fashion, focusing on being the best and letting the rest take care of itself. pic.twitter.com/XHsZ6XFQe4
— Busch Beer (@BuschBeer) February 16, 2024
This interview has been condensed and edited for clarity.