Tony Stewart candidly admits his first impression of Kevin Harvick was ‘Just another punk racer with a fiery reputation’
Kevin Harvick will race one last time in the NASCAR Cup series on November 6 at Phoenix.
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Tony Stewart and Kevin Harvick (Via IMAGO)
Stewart Haas Racing co-owner Tony Stewart has admitted that when he first saw Kevin Harvick racing in NASCAR, his impression of him wasn’t that great. But he is more than happy to be wrong as Harvick is retiring from the sport this season as one of the all-time greats and a future first-ballot NASCAR Hall of Fame entrant.
Harvick and Stewart started as rivals and became one of the closest friends in the garage. The duo shares some common characteristics on and off the track. They later became teammates at SHR after Stewart became co-owner of the team and signed Harvick. The latter first and only title came with them in 2024. All these made them much closer.
But Stewart’s impression of Harvick wasn’t the greatest at first sight. He saw him as a punk driver with an aggressive style. But he later finds out that Harvick is someone just like him, who gets misunderstood. This realization made them friends and foes. Harvick retirement, without a doubt, is a massive loss to SHR.
Kevin, I remember my first impression of you. Just another punk racer with a fiery reputation. And d*mn! I have never been happier to be wrong. Like myself, I think you’re often misunderstood. You’ve done things your way and never apologized for it. When others misunderstood us, we understood each other. That mutual respect as a competitor grew into a friendship. And that friendship allowed me to get to know the man behind the visor.
Stewart said in a video posted on X by SHR.
Tony Stewart asks Kevin Harvick to Savor every moment of his final Cup race at Phoenix
The 2023 season finale will be marked by not only the new champion of the sport but it will also be known as the last race of Harvick. Stwart has asked his friend to enjoy every lap of his final race and savor that experience with his family.
I know you’ll do the same thing you’ll do for 22 years- race like h*ll. But take it all in. Take a deep breath and realize the little things are actually the big things. A hug from Keelan and Piper, a click of the horn, the snap of putting on your steering wheel, the firing of the engine, the roar of the crowd, and your Busch Light with your team. Enjoy these moments because they don’t last forever.
Harvick might retire with a minor regret of not winning a race in his final season. The cars fielded by SHR this year haven’t been the best, and luck hasn’t been on the driver’s side. He still has that one shot at Phoenix, and it would be surreal if he could win the season finale.
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