Next Gen of Racing Takes Over the Quarter-Mile

Brexton Busch and Keelan Harvick are following in their fathers’ footsteps as they take on the quarter-mile at America's Home for Racing.

 

For 30 years, the Cook Out Summer Shootout has transformed many grassroots racers into renowned household names. Kyle Busch and Kevin Harvick are two of the most recognizable names in all of motorsports, and this summer their second generation has found its way to the famed quarter-mile oval at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

 

While it seems natural that Brexton Busch and Keelan Harvick would develop a need for speed, their NASCAR champion fathers both credit a time when at-track activity came to a standstill as the stimulus for their sons’ desire to race. Kyle Busch took Brexton to a go-kart track for something to do during the COVID-19 pandemic, while Keelan began watching Kevin race on the simulator before eventually getting behind the wheel himself. From go-karts to Bandoleros to Legend Cars, these young drivers haven’t let up off the gas.

 

Eight-year-old Brexton Busch made his Charlotte Motor Speedway debut this summer in the Beginner Bandoleros division in his No. 18 lime green Serv-Pro machine. Brexton wants to follow in his dad’s tire tracks, as Kyle Busch is the winningest NASCAR driver at Charlotte Motor Speedway with 19 wins across three national series. Brexton is already showing a competitive spirit like his father. In just two feature races, he has already tallied a second-place finish.

 

 

“Whenever I wanted to do racing it was because of my dad because he was really good at it,” Brexton said. “The best part about racing for me is the competition because I like to have some good competition.”

 

Made my first start in the Cook Out Summer Shootout last night 🦖‼️ It was cool to race @CLTMotorSpdwy like my dad. Won't be long before I'm on the big track. 😉@SERVPRO | @FarOutToysInc | @SportClips | @KBMteam pic.twitter.com/YAsNBPDoXD

— Brexton Busch (@brextonbusch) June 13, 2023

For 10-year-old Keelan Harvick, racing at America’s Home for Racing is the next “exciting” step in his journey as he also looks to follow his father, Kevin Harvick, a two-time Coca-Cola 600 winner at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Keelan, who is looking for more experience to grow as a driver, is launching his Shootout career driving the No. 62 Hunt Brothers Pizza Legend Car in the Young Lions Division. So far, Keelan has tallied a sixth-place and a fifth-place finish in two feature race appearances.

 

 

“I was really excited and pumped up to come here and it went really good,” Keelan said. “My favorite part is that it’s always a new challenge, you don't know what is going to happen this night or last night so that’s kind of what I’m shooting for.”

 

I had a lot of fun at my first Summer Shootout double header!

Night 1:
Qualified 15th out of 32 cars and worked my way up to P6.

Night 2:
Qualified 2nd out of 33 cars but started 5th with the invert. I worked my way to the lead but couldn’t hold on because my car wouldn’t… pic.twitter.com/ipwh5ZKRzk

— Keelan Harvick (@KeelanHarvick) July 5, 2023

Both Kyle Busch and Kevin Harvick, say they love the feeling of just being a ‘dad’ during their sons’ racing journeys.

 

“I think for me, my favorite part is just the growth. And as he (Brexton) gets better and as he learns, he gets more confident,” Kyle said. “I think it’s more fun when you’re able to go to Victory Lane with your son.”

 

“COVID-19 really changed directions for our family and it kind of helped me decide when to retire after he started racing,” Kevin said. “I can just be a fan and watch and learn and try to help him learn…and chew him out sometimes and all those things that come with being a dad.”

 

While getting the experience that both dads say is so important, Brexton and Keelan have continued to gain more exposure across different forms of motorsports. Brexton has taken his driving skills to the dirt, as he’s picked up championships in Box Stock Racing. Keelan is earning both racing stripes and passport stamps as he’s taken his driving abilities across the country and around the world.

 

“Italy so far has been my favorite, because all of the tracks in Italy are really fun and I kind of enjoy that a lot,” Keelan said.

 

While the two NASCAR dads are now coaching their sons, the goal is for them to succeed and have fun doing it.

 

“Good luck, do your best, give it everything you got and we’ll see what happens in the end,” Kyle tells Brexton before he leaves the pits.

 

“The gas is on the right, the brake is on the left,” Kevin says with a grin before Keelan races out.

 

 

source: Charlotte Motor Speedway Media

Kevin Harvick To Retire at End of 2023 Season

The Closer’ Will Close a NASCAR Cup Series Career Spanning More Than Two Decades

 

The 2023 season will be Kevin Harvick’s 23rd and final year as a NASCAR Cup Series driver. The 47-year-old racer will retire after the season finale Nov. 5 at Phoenix Raceway.

 

#4EVER pic.twitter.com/iH5dzpt4HY

— Kevin Harvick (@KevinHarvick) January 12, 2023

Known as “The Closer,” Harvick begins his last season in NASCAR’s premier division tied for ninth on the Cup Series’ all-time win list with 60 point-paying victories. He is only 99 laps shy of leading a staggering 16,000 laps in his career – one of only 11 drivers in the history of the sport to do so – and the Bakersfield, California-native is slated to make his 800th career Cup Series start April 23 at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway.

 

“There is absolutely nothing else in the world that I enjoy doing more than going to the racetrack, and I’m genuinely looking forward to this season,” said Harvick, driver of the No. 4 Ford Mustang for Stewart-Haas Racing. “But as I’ve gone through the years, I knew there would come a day where I had to make a decision. When would it be time to step away from the car?

 

“I’ve sought out people and picked their brains. When I asked them when they knew it was the right time, they said it’ll just happen, and you’ll realize that’s the right moment. You’ll make a plan and decide when it’s your last year.

 

“It’s definitely been hard to understand when that right moment is because we’ve been so fortunate to run well. But sometimes there are just other things going on that become more important and, for me, that time has come.”

 

Harvick’s decision to make the 2023 season his last comes as the father of two eyes more family time. Together with wife, DeLana,  they’ll continue to visit racetracks, but Harvick won’t be wearing a firesuit. His 10-year-old son, Keelan, is an avid karter who races internationally, and his 5-year-old daughter, Piper, is already following in the family’s tire tracks, wheeling a go-kart of her own.

 

 

“In the last year, I think I’ve seen Keelan race three times while he’s been in Europe. I go to the go-kart track with Piper and she makes twice as many strides in a day while I’m there than she would in a day when I’m not there. It takes a lot of time to organize the level of racing they’re doing, and to be around that is important to me,” Harvick said.

 

Karting is where Harvick’s career began. He was five when he first started racing in and around Southern California. Twenty years later, after competing and winning on the NASCAR Southwest Tour, earning the 1998 NASCAR Winston West championship, advancing to the NASCAR Truck Series and then the NASCAR Xfinity Series, Harvick was in Cup. However, it was under incredibly trying circumstances and immense pressure.

 

A 25-year-old Harvick was thrust into the national spotlight and tabbed to do the impossible – fill the void left by the passing of the sport’s icon, Dale Earnhardt. A crash on the final lap of the 2001 Daytona 500 had taken Earnhardt’s life. In the midst of great personal sorrow, team owner Richard Childress needed to steady his organization. He chose Harvick, an up-and-coming racer who had a breakout season in 2000 by winning three races for his team in the second-tier Busch Series, known today as the Xfinity Series.

 

The No. 3, made famous by Earnhardt, was changed to the No. 29, and Harvick made his Cup Series debut on Feb. 25 at North Carolina Speedway in Rockingham. Harvick started 36th that Sunday at Rockingham, but rain washed over the track just 51 laps into the 393-lap race. The race resumed at 11 a.m. ET on Monday, whereupon Harvick drove to a solid 14th-place finish. He then traveled to Las Vegas on Tuesday, got married on Wednesday, and was back in a racecar on Friday, competing in both the Xfinity Series and Cup Series events at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. After finishing eighth on Sunday to score his first career top-10 in the Cup Series, Harvick headed to Atlanta Motor Speedway where on March 11, 2001 the first of his 60 Cup Series wins was secured in just his third career start.

 

“Dale’s passing changed our sport forever, and it changed my life forever and the direction it took. It took me a long time to really get comfortable to really even think about things that happened that day,” Harvick said.

 

“Looking back on it now, you realize the importance of getting in the Cup car, and then we wound up winning my first race at Atlanta in the 29 car after Dale’s death. The significance and the importance of keeping that car on the racetrack and winning that race early at Atlanta – knowing now what it meant to the sport, and just that moment in general of being able to carry on, was so important.”

 

Wise beyond his age, Harvick was able to compartmentalize and perform. In addition to running the remainder of the Cup Series schedule and winning again on July 15 at Chicagoland Speedway in Joliet, Illinois, Harvick ran the entire Xfinity Series schedule, winning five races and cruising to the championship.

 

“We just found a way to make it work, and that’s what we did all year long,” said Harvick, who won a second Xfinity Series title in 2006, again running the full Cup and Xfinity schedules.

 

Making it work is what Harvick has done throughout his career. This was evident from day one at Stewart-Haas Racing,  where he joined the team in December 2013 after spending 14 seasons with Childress.

 

Teamed with crew chief Rodney Childers, Harvick came out of the gate strong and never let up. It began with a dominating preseason test at Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway and ended with an emphatic victory in the season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway that earned Harvick his long coveted Cup Series championship.

 

Today, Harvick and Childers are the longest-tenured active driver-crew chief pairing in the Cup Series garage, a 10-year partnership that has netted 37 points-paying wins.

 

“Rodney and I are pretty much the same age with very similar backgrounds, as far as racing goes. But we’re kind of opposites in that he’s very calm, cool and quiet, and I’m kind of rambunctious and full of excitement. That pairing has brought a lot of respect just because I know his demeanor, he knows my demeanor, and it’s a good balance in the middle,” Harvick said.

 

“We know each of us can do the job, and we believe in that and each other, and a lot of that comes down to conversations, being able to communicate. We communicate well, and that’s what makes a good pairing – being able to talk and communicate and put those conversations into action. And when you’re wrong, understanding when you’re wrong, and working through that and not have anybody’s feelings get hurt and start pointing fingers That’s what’s made it work.”

 

The command Harvick has shown behind the wheel and outside of the racecar was one of the main reasons why Tony Stewart, co-owner of Stewart-Haas Racing, wanted Harvick on his race team.

 

“I competed against Kevin for a long time and I was so happy to finally have him a part of our race team,” said Stewart, the three-time NASCAR Cup Series champion who co-owns Stewart-Haas Racing with Haas Automation founder Gene Haas. “He’s incredibly reliable – consistent and calculated on the track with a drive to always be better. That’s what you want in a teammate. He knows what he needs to be successful, and his will to win helped elevate our entire company.”

 

.@KevinHarvick is #4EVER grateful for his team, competitors, partners, and family through the years.

But he wants to make one thing clear: there are still trophies to win. pic.twitter.com/XyRYCwy6uY

— Stewart-Haas Racing (@StewartHaasRcng) January 13, 2023

Stewart retired as a NASCAR driver at the end of the 2016 season. His hope for Harvick’s final season is sanguine and straightforward.

 

“I want Kevin to savor every lap this season, to compete like hell and to take it all in. He’s made all of us at Stewart-Haas Racing incredibly proud and we want to make his last season his best season.”

 

Harvick’s final season kicks off with the non-points Busch Light Clash at the Coliseum Feb. 4-5 at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum before the official start of the 2023 campaign with the 65th annual Daytona 500 Feb. 19 at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway.

 

Kevin Harvick NASCAR Cup Series #4

Website www.kevinharvick.com

 
Social
Twitter @KevinHarvick
Instagram @kevinharvick
Facebook @KevinHarvick

 

source: NASCAR Media

Keelan Harvick - 2022 IAME World Finals

Representing America - X30 Mini

 

Thirty-seven countries were represented at the 2022 IAME World Finals in Le Mans. Keelan Harvick had the honor of being the only American in the field. There were ninety-one drivers in the Mini class.

 

In the heats Keelan finished: P11, 7, 8, 3, 4 and won his prefinal! He started the final p2 but didn’t have the pace from earlier in the day. Even though he did not have the pace, ten-year-old Harvick would have liked, he still finished his first IWF in p5!

 

 

X30 MINI

1. 69 ROUSSEAU Gianmatteo
2. 14 KELLEHER Daniel
3. 86 BAGLIN Noah
4. 41 SALA Filippo
5. 51 HARVICK Keelan
6. 88 KAMYAB Roman
7. 87 DOMAIN Henry
8. 24 PHILLIPS Jesse
9. 83 ISLIN Lewis
10. 56 MARTINEZ Alex

 

Team USA Breakdown

#51 – Keelan Harvick (2022 USPKS Mini Swift Champion)

• Qualifying (Group 2): 3rd – 1:16.493
• Overall: 8th
• Heat Group B (Row 2)
• Heat AvsB: 11th +11.152
• Heat BvsE: 7th +8.754
• Heat BvsD: 8th +10.037
• Heat BvsC: 3rd +3.423
• Heat BvsF: 4th +0.252
• Heat Points: 11th – 33 points
• Prefinal B Grid: 4th
• Prefinal B: 1st +0.632
• Final Grid: 2nd
• Final: 5th +1.576

  

source: Keelan Harvick Instagram

Congratulations Keelan - 2021 USPKS Micro Swift National Champion!

Keelan Harvick Won both races AND the
2021 USPKS Micro Swift National Championship!

2021 USPKS Micro Swift National Champion! 🏁🏆🏁🏆 🏆 (Link in bio to see full video on YouTube)
#62 #HarvickRacing #chasingachampionship pic.twitter.com/5AyDwh0qpw

— Keelan Harvick (@KeelanHarvick) October 21, 2021

Keelan Harvick's First Karting #Win

Look out #NASCAR Fans;
here come the newest "Closer." 

Awesome family moment today being able to celebrate Keelans first Karting win! #prouddad pic.twitter.com/oSwBogIqDg

— Kevin Harvick (@KevinHarvick) July 11, 2020

We may not have been able to celebrate as a family with pops and 💋 🧱, BUT we got to celebrate something bigger!! Bruddy got his first win today (in his fourth start)! I’m not gonna lie, I may have shed a few tears. 🏎🏆🏁👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 #gobruddygo #stillprayingforgolf pic.twitter.com/SP1XtOqfTB

— DeLana Harvick (@DeLanaHarvick) July 11, 2020

(Father Kevin was nicknamed "The Closer" for his ability to make late passes for the win (often with the commentators asking "Where did he come from?" because he often made them from a considerable distance behind, usually taking advantage of the leader running out of fuel in the last few corners)

Keelan Captures Pole in His First Go-Kart Race

Keelan Paul Harvick, Kevin's son, participated in his first go-kart race recently. The seven-year-old captured his first pole and ran all the laps!!!

Long week of racing but my favorite race of the week was Keelan’s first!!! Got his first pole ran all the laps and we had fun!! #62 pic.twitter.com/Ha1QpO5bNc

— Kevin Harvick (@KevinHarvick) June 1, 2020

I bet Momma DeLana was a nervous wreck!

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Back-To-Back Ford Wins at IMS

Happy Harvick Kisses the Bricks

Kevin Harvick was the big winner at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, winning the Brickyard 400. This was Harvick’s third win of the season and Stewart-Haas Racing’s 54th overall Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series win. In addition, this marked Ford’s second win in a row at the Brickyard (Brad Keselowski 2018).

“Congratulations Kevin, Tony, Gene, and the No. 4 crew” said Doug Yates, President and CEO of Roush Yates Engines. “Our Ford Performance teams were fast in qualifying as Kevin, Paul, Clint, and Joey qualified 1 through 4. To see the cars and drivers perform at the highest level in the sport is a testament to the team’s effort and determination to win. It’s special to be able to kiss the bricks two years in the row and congratulations to our Ford drivers advancing to this year’s playoffs.”

One of the world’s iconic racetracks and crown-jewel events in the sport proved to be the perfect match for Harvick, as he came out strong during Sunday morning’s qualifying, to secure the pole with a 48.448 second run at 185.766 mph.

Harvick led 119 laps (297.5 miles) of the 160-lap race and scored the Stage 2 win on his way to crossing the bricks to capture the checkered flag. This marked Harvick’s second career win at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Stage 1 winner, Logano, came in second, making it a 1-2 finish for Ford Performance.

“Well, I know how much it means to everybody on our Mobil 1 Ford Mustang team,” commented Harvick in Victory Lane. “Just got to thank Busch Beer, Jimmy John's, Hunt Brother, Haas Automation, everybody at Stewart Haas Racing, all these guys that make this car go around, I know how much this means to really everybody, and this is a great engine package that Roush Yates has been to Victory Lane twice now, once at Michigan and the same engine here. That's a huge credit to those guys and Mobil 1 for everything that they put under this car. Just can't thank everybody enough. This is awesome.”

Six Ford Mustangs finished in the top-10 of the Brickyard 400. Following Harvick and Logano, was Stewart-Haas Racing teammate, Clint Bowyer P5, Team Penske’s Ryan Blaney P7, Roush Fenway’s Ryan Newman P8, and the Wood Brother’s Paul Menard in P10.

Source: Roush Yates Engines

That's one lucky little boy. Best birthday present ever! 🏁🎂@KevinHarvick | #4TheFans | #Brickyard400 pic.twitter.com/c3n2AtqJrI

— Stewart-Haas Racing (@StewartHaasRcng) September 9, 2019

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Keelan Harvick Plays Drums With Jake Owens

Delana and husband Kevin Harvick with their kids, Keelan and Piper.

The perks of being the child of a NASCAR star are rewarding. Below, you can witness six-year-old, Keelan Paul Harvick (son of Kevin and DeLana Harvick) as he is brought onto stage to play drums before the 61st Daytona 500 with Jake Owens.

When you get to play drums on stage before the Daytona 500! 🥁🏎 Thanks Mr. @jakeowen 💙 #thanksmrmyron #rockstarinthemaking pic.twitter.com/mI7XmGr5B8

— DeLana Harvick (@DeLanaHarvick) February 18, 2019

Country music artist Jake Owen, a Florida native, grew up going to the Daytona 500.

“It’s a big deal for everyone whether you’re a Floridian or not,” he said. “I definitely came as a kid.”

Owen – whose 2013 hit “Beachin’” features Daytona Beach and its music video contains shots of the Boardwalk – performed the pre-race concert before the Daytona 500.

To grow up a Florida kid 🍊 and have the honor of playing the @DISupdates #Daytona500 is hard to put into words... thankfully @MatthewPaskert snapped this photo. I think this says it all. Thanks to @NASCAR and all the fans for allowing me to entertain y'all on such a special day. pic.twitter.com/vCfaRhPFUS

— Jake Owen (@jakeowen) February 17, 2019

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Congratulations to the Harvick Family

Kevin and DeLana Harvick announced the birth of daughter Piper Grace who was born on Thursday night. The 2014 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series champion sent out this photo featuring the proud papa and equally ecstatic big brother Keelan, age five.

Miss Piper Grace joined the gang Thursday night! Everyone is healthy and we have an extremely excited big brother! pic.twitter.com/Th2KdXyy1B

— Kevin Harvick (@KevinHarvick) December 30, 2017

Congratulations to the Harvick Family

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Harvick's Participation In the K&N Pro Series Race Helpful

NASCAR Race Mom was very surprised at some people’s response to Kevin Harvick’s entry into and win of the K&N Pro Series race, the Carneros 200 at Sonoma Raceway. Harvick, a Bakersfield, California native, held off hard-charging Sunoco Rookie of the Year contender in Will Rodgers in a tight racing battle. 

Harvick, who won the 1998 K&N Pro Series West championship on his way up to NASCAR’s highest level related, "It always feels good to win no matter what it is," said Harvick. "The main objective was to come have fun, shine a little light on the series and shine a little light on how much talent is in the series. This particular series did a lot for me and to come back and be a part of it, see the health of it and see the young guys racing was the main objective.

However, negative comments were abound. One person commented, “not impressed.” Another, “suck away as much prize money as I can from these teams that depend on it". He has no business running at this level.”

Therefore, NRM just had to put her two cents worth in. I have experience in this series. My son raced it for five years. To me, having Mr. Harvick participate in a race would always be welcomed as long as he raced and related respectfully.

In my opinion Harvick went above and beyond to help bring notice and honor to a series that is oft times hidden in the background. Many of today’s NASCAR stars have had their start in the K&N Pro Series (West & East) and for the 2014 Sprint Cup Series Champion to acknowledge this rung in the NASCAR Ladder is huge.

After the race, Harvick went to twitter the same day to congratulate runner-up Will Rodgers:

You wheeled that thing great job! https://t.co/PVWuZZ6wer

— Kevin Harvick (@KevinHarvick) June 25, 2017

Then Harvick invited the young racer to watch the cup race from his pits. Kevin Harvick went on to collect his first Sonoma Raceway Cup Victory Sunday!!! Harvick was the eleventh different driver to score a cup win in 2017 and earn a chase berth!

NASCAR Race Mom was thrilled for him, his family, and team. Only goes to show you - Good things happen to people who do good things.

"I’m so excited. I think as you look at it, getting our 1st win with Ford, this has been a great journey for us." https://t.co/JCj9BzxgmI pic.twitter.com/7V8aKg3DuF

— Stewart-Haas Racing (@StewartHaasRcng) June 26, 2017

Harvick knows how to take care of his sponsors as well!!!

Trophy from @RaceSonoma is a great beer holder!! What a weekend!! 🏁🏁 @Mobil1 @jimmyjohns @BuschBeer pic.twitter.com/9KwSP7zpw1

— Kevin Harvick (@KevinHarvick) June 26, 2017

Hoping the Harvick family chooses the K&N Pro Series West when son Keelan decides to go racing.

While @KevinHarvick shows Keelan the @StewartHaasRcng HQ, CEO @TonyStewart sets a great example. https://t.co/v8084J4YJd #TonysNextChapter pic.twitter.com/IjxwsVCvRc

— Mobil 1 (@Mobil1) June 23, 2017

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#NASCAR Driver’s Start Your Engines!!!

NASCAR Race Mom feels just like Keelan Harvick. 

 

 

Only 59 more days till the Daytona 500 Keelan!

 

 

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