Kevin Harvick: Racing Success, Family, and Wealth
Kevin Michael Harvick, born December 8, 1975, is a retired American stock car racer.
Notable achievements include winning the 2014 Cup Series championship and holding the record for most wins at Phoenix Raceway.
With 121 combined national series victories, he ranks third in NASCAR history.
Harvick is also a broadcaster for NASCAR on FOX since 2015 and will call Cup Series races from 2024.
He owned Kevin Harvick Incorporated, a racing team, and is nicknamed “the Closer” and “Happy Harvick” in the media.
Early life
Harvick came into the world in 1975 in Bakersfield, California, to Mike and JoNell (Walker) Harvick.
He has a younger sister named Amber.
His foray into racing began at a tender age when his parents gifted him a go-kart upon graduating from kindergarten.
Harvick, inspired by IndyCar driver Rick Mears, a fellow Bakersfield native, engaged in go-kart competitions alongside Mears’ son, Clint.
Remarkably, he clinched seven national championships and two Grand National championships in the go-kart racing circuit.
While navigating high school, Harvick initiated his venture into racing late models part-time in 1992 within the NASCAR Featherlite Southwest Series.
During racing offseasons, he showcased his versatility by participating in the North High School wrestling team, even qualifying for a CIF Central Section title in his senior year.
Harvick didn’t limit himself to motorsports, also demonstrating prowess in baseball, basketball, football, and soccer.
Post-graduation, he enrolled at Bakersfield College with aspirations of pursuing architecture, but eventually opted to drop out in favor of a full-time racing career.
Broadcasting career
On January 25, 2015, reports revealed that Harvick, along with Jeff Gordon, Brad Keselowski, and Danica Patrick, would rotate as analysts for Xfinity Series races on NASCAR on Fox.
Harvick led the quartet, providing commentary at Daytona, Las Vegas, Dover, and the Truck Series race at Talladega.
In June 2017, Harvick served as the play-by-play commentator for the Fox NASCAR broadcast of the Xfinity race at Pocono as part of the Cup drivers-only coverage, alongside Joey Logano and Clint Bowyer.
The Drivers Only broadcast returned in 2018 at Talladega and in 2019 at Charlotte in May, with the trio reprising their roles in the booth.
Harvick was absent as a guest analyst for Fox in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and the “Drivers Only” format was suspended.
However, in 2021, he resumed as a guest analyst, working as a color commentator at Darlington in May.
On February 5, 2023, Fox Sports and Harvick announced his inclusion in the Fox NASCAR broadcast booth in 2024, where he will join Mike Joy and former RCR and SHR teammate Clint Bowyer.
His broadcast duties are scheduled to commence in 2024.
Personal life
Kevin Harvick married DeLana Harvick in Las Vegas on February 28, 2001, shortly after his Cup Series debut.
They met the previous year at Michigan International Speedway.
DeLana actively supports Harvick’s career and co-owns KHI Management LLC.
The couple, along with their children Keelan and Piper, lives in Charlotte, North Carolina.
Keelan is involved in kart racing and joined his father in an NASCAR Racing Pro Invitational Series race in April 2021.
Harvick is a fan of the Philadelphia Flyers and the New York Yankees, even throwing the ceremonial first pitch at Yankee Stadium on August 10, 2011.
Kevin Harvick Foundation
Founded in 2010 by Harvick and DeLana, the Kevin Harvick Foundation (KHF) is dedicated to enhancing the lives of children across the United States.
The foundation strives not only to enhance overall well-being but also to empower disadvantaged youth in pursuing and achieving their aspirations.
This mission is carried out through various initiatives, including support for programs like the Kevin Harvick Athletic Scholarship Fund at California State University, Bakersfield, a camper cabin at Victory Junction, Baptist Children’s Homes of NC, Boys & Girls Clubs, and Kevin’s Krew.
In Media
Throughout his career, Harvick appeared on TV talk shows like Late Show with David Letterman and Jim Rome is Burning.
He was featured on FX’s NASCAR Drivers: 360 and MTV Cribs.
In 2004, he joined a NASCAR special on Family Feud, raising $276 for charity.
Budweiser hosted “The Roast of Kevin Harvick” in 2011.
In 2023, Kern County Raceway Park became Kevin Harvick’s Kern Raceway under new ownership by Tim and Lisa Huddleston.
Nicknames
Harvick earned the ironic moniker “Happy Harvick” as a nod to his sporadic temper flare-ups.
His pit sign, featuring a smiley face, cleverly plays on this nickname.
Additionally, he was dubbed “The Closer” for his knack of executing late-race passes to secure victories.
Commentators frequently found themselves questioning, “Where did he come from?” as Harvick often made these moves from a considerable distance behind, capitalizing on leaders running out of fuel in the final corners.
Kevin Harvick Net Worth
As of 2021, it is approximated that Kevin Harvick possesses a net worth of approximately $70 million.
Conclusion
Kevin Harvick, a accomplished NASCAR driver, married to DeLana Harvick with two children, including Keelan Harvick.
Former owner of Kevin Harvick Incorporated (KHI), a team in NASCAR Nationwide, Truck, and ARCA Re/Max Series. Estimated net worth: $70 million.
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