Kevin Harvick sets his priorities straight in his final NASCAR home-state race as the victory drought continues

Kevin Harvick was inducted into the West Coast Hall of Fame this week.

Kevin Harvick sets his priorities straight in his final NASCAR home-state race as the victory drought continues

Kevin Harvick at North Wilkesboro (Credits: @ejorourke41/Twitter)

Stewart Haas Racing veteran Kevin Harvick will race one last time as a full-time Cup Series driver on Sunday at Sonoma Raceway. The second road course race of the 2023 season is the final race in California this year. The veteran hasn’t won a race since the penultimate race of the 2022 regular season. 

The all-for-SHR drivers have been winless after the first 15 races of 2023, and other than Harvick, no drivers are in the top 16. The 2014 Cup champion, though winless, has been a regular contender for the top 10, and his impressive runs place him in the top 5 in the championship points table. The veteran had to wait till the 24th race of the season to score a win in 2022 and will not be hoping to experience such a long drought this season.

Harvick, one of the richest drivers in the history of the sport, has pointed out that the upcoming race in Sonoma will be special for him. Getting inducted into the West Coast Hall of Fame made his weekend more special. He hopes to have a solid run on Sunday and believes that he could use all his experience here at the track to his advantage.

“I’ve learned this year that you can take advantage of the year and get away with thinking both ways. For me, Sonoma is one of the places that I’ve raced at for so long and really spent a lot of time up there in my West Coast days with the Southwest Tour car and all the different things that I’ve been fortunate to race there,” Harvick said.

“We’ve won a few races there and I think going up there and seeing all of the California fans for the last time is obviously something you’ve got to stop and pay attention to. I’m looking forward to that. I know the track has a lot of exciting things planned that week, along with the West Coast Hall of Fame and everything happening there. It’ll be a big week to take it all in,” Harvick added.

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Kevin Harvick recalls his final Fontana race experience

Kevin Harvick at NWBS
Kevin Harvick at North Wilkesboro Speedway (Credits: @StewartHaasRcng)

Harvick, the third-most winningest driver in NASCAR, said that his last race in Auto Club was a special feeling. It was the last race of the track, and it is now closed for a huge redevelopment project. The race was because it was very close to him and he used to spend a lot of time there as a youngster. He added that he has a similar sentiment for Phoenix as well.

“Fontana was the first place that I went to and was like, ‘Wow, this racetrack’s going to be gone — nobody’s going to race here again. You’re not ever going to set foot on that racetrack again. And for me, that’s one that’s obviously pretty close to home, growing up in California, and growing up at California Speedway on that racetrack,” Kevin Harvick said.

“Phoenix was a little bit of the same way, but we get to go back there again, and that being the last race is obviously pretty fitting for me, personally. I’m at a point in my career where I’m just taking it all in,” Harvick added.

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