Kevin Harvick bets on Denny Hamlin to Win New Hampshire Cup Race

The NASCAR Community will be at New Hampshire Motor Speedway for the penultimate race of the regular season, the Dollar Tree 301. It’s going to be one of the most entertaining races of the season with the chase starting in two weeks and multiple good drivers being in bubble.

Ex-NASCAR Cup champion Kevin Harvick and his Happy Hour podcast crew gave their predictions for the weekend as usual. The veteran’s co-host’s Mamba Smith and Kaitlyn Vincie were the first make the pics. The former went for Christopher Bell before settling on Chase Briscoe, after his female colleague also choose the No:20 Toyota driver.

MS: It’s time. And he wins here way too much. Christopher Bell, it is time. Let’s go, big dog. Time to hold up the lobster.

KV: That’s who I had too. I just want to see him cross that threshold and get a win.

MS: If you’re picking C. Bell, I’m going to change. I’m doing it. Give me Chase Briscoe. I need to stay in that realm.

Mamba Smith and Kaitlyn Vincie said on his podcast.

Kevin Harvick also expects a Joe Gibbs Racing win and went with the veteran Denny Hamlin, who is the championship leader. Picking the No:11 Toyota driver has been a rewarding choice for the ex-SHR driver in 2026. Mamba Smith responded to the prediction by a cheeky claim that a Ford driver is going to win considering all three of them went for JGR.

KH: I’m going to take Hamlin.

MS: That means a Ford is going to win.

Kevin Harvick and Mamba Smith said on Happy Hour podcast.

Kevin Harvick explains the harsh reality waiting for Connor Zilisch at HMS

In the same podcast, the veteran talked about Connor Zilisch, who is set to joining Hendrick Motorsports in 2028, replacing outgoing Alex Bowman. He pointed out that the youngster won’t have any excuse to underperform at HMS as at bigger team, there won’t be much room for mistakes.

We will definitely find out if it was overhyped or hyped enough. We spoke to Alex Bowman about the 48. Now there’s just no way out, right? Like, there’s a way out right now for Connor with the Trackhouse situation and the way that the cars run with the results on the racetrack. Those excuses don’t live at Hendrick.

Kevin Harvick said.

By the 2028 season, he would have had two years under his belt in Cup, enough for the best of the garage to start being in the championship fight. That would be the expectation for Zilisch at HMS and anything else would be a disappointment.

That expectation period is over. You’re going to have two years at Trackhouse, and when you get into the 48, the expectation is going to be when.

Kevin Harvick added.

The comments from the racing legend are on point and shows how the future is going to be more challenging for the youngster. It would be interesting to see how everything is going to playout for the veteran in the coming days.

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