Kevin Harvick wants reigning F1 champion Max Verstappen to use new NASCAR rule change and race in Daytona 500

2014 Cup series champion Kevin Harvick has shared his feelings about Max Verstappen racing in the NASCAR Cup Series.

Kevin Harvick wants reigning F1 champion Max Verstappen to use new NASCAR rule change and race in Daytona 500

Kevin Harvick and Max Verstappen (Via IMAGO)

Going into the 2025 NASCAR Cup series season, the sanctioning body has made some significant change to the rule book. One of the new policy changes was the new Open Exemption Provisional, which is aimed at giving the elite drivers from different racing series a guaranteed spot in the race, regardless of qualifying performance.

Four times Indy 500 champion Helio Castroneves is set to be the first racer to use OEP, for his Cup debut at the 2025 Daytona 500 with Trackhouse Racing. 2014 NASCAR Cup champion Kevin Harvick, while recently talking about the point, wants the reigning F1 champion Max Verstappen to use it and race in the Great American Race with Red Bull’s support.

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I would love to see like, the Max Verstappen-type situation at the Daytona 500 of sorts, with a Red Bull activation behind it.

Kevin Harvick said via Happy Hour.

He highlighted that the elite driver shouldn’t be the only factor behind OEP, as their sponsor should also be an important part of as well. Harvick wants to make sure the promotion about the NASCAR race should come from every direction.

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When you look at the whole thing, whatever the sponsor is, it is as important as anything else, because you want them to be behind the activation and promotion of what happens, as well.

Kevin Harvick added.

Kevin Harvick bets on Riley Herbst to challenge for 2025 ROTY award

In the same podcast, Kevin Harvick made his predictions for the upcoming 2025 season. One of his main predictions was about the new 23XI Racing driver Riley Herbst being a strong challenger for this year’s Rookie of The Year award, alongside Trackhouse Racing’s Shane van Gisbergen.

Riley Herbst
Riley Herbst, image via NASCAR

I think bringing Riley into 23XI is obviously the next step in his career. He’ll be one of the Rookie of the Year contenders, with SVG. Quite the difference in background and everything. But it’ll be intriguing, to watch that Rookie of the Year battle, as they go through.

Kevin Harvick said.

Herbst and SVG, seems to have the best shot at winning the award as they will have the best cars, with a shot at victory. It would be interesting to see how both the drivers would perform in their rookie Cup series season.