After retiring from the full-time NASCAR Cup Series, Kevin Harvick has returned to his short track roots. He and his wife launched their organization, Kevin Harvick Inc., back in 2001 to run in various racing series, but took a break in 2011. KHI has been rebooted in 2023 to participate in the late model program. After his last race at North Wilkesboro Speedway where he finished 10th, Harvick said he had a lot of fun but needs to practice a lot as these cars are very different from stock cars.
Kevin Harvick has now declared to participate in the CARS Tour Pro Late Model race at Florence Motor Speedway on 30th August. He believes the hands-on experience will help his co-owned CARS Tour, Dale Earnhardt Jr’s brainchild, with valuable insights to train budding drivers.
Following the Hall of Famer’s suit are big names from NASCAR. A flurry of drivers will be making a comeback to the Late Models this weekend, including Denny Hamlin and Tony Stewart’s star drivers, Bubba Wallace and Josh Berry, respectively. And the man himself, Dale Jr., will also be going door-to-door in the Late Model Stock Class race.
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Who will Kevin Harvick be driving for?
Rackley W.A.R. is a full-time NASCAR Truck Series team that also competes in various other Late Model Series. Kevin Harvick drove Rackley’s #62 Chevy at the North Wilkesboro Rodeo and will be driving the same car in the double-header Cook Out 225. He has two sponsors on board for the upcoming race namely, Realtree and Hunt Brothers Pizza.
𝐍𝐄𝐖𝐒 🚨 #NASCAR champion @KevinHarvick will pilot a @Rackley_WAR Pro Late Model Friday night during the @CARSTour doubleheader at @FmSpeedway2024.
Get more details 👇https://t.co/9iKxsvLITv
— FloRacing (@FloRacing) August 26, 2024
Talking about having Harvick driving one of their cars, Rackley W.A.R. co-owner Willie Allen said, “This partnership has more capability than just a one-off appearance…With Kevin’s involvement, it aligns with our commitment to developing young talent…who can help shape Rackley W.A.R. and its driver development program.”
The Cook Out 225 will be composed of two races. The 100 lap Pro Late Model race will be the one where Harvick will be driving against a talented bunch such as Caden Kvapil. The 125 lap race is where Dale Jr. will go up against Rackley’s W.A.R.’s prodigy. While Wallace will be out in his legend car at the 4/10-mile oval.
This Friday’s @CookOut 225 gets bigger and bigger as it is confirmed that @KevinHarvick , @joshberry , @BubbaWallace , & @DaleJr all return to their short track roots on Friday Night. Wallace will be racing his Legend Car against some of the best competition in the Southeast at… pic.twitter.com/EwadXz6Tov
— Florence Motor Speedway (@FmSpeedway2024) August 26, 2024
The sponsor for Harvick’s CARS Tour, Hunt Brothers Pizza, has been Harvick’s alliance from his NASCAR days. The veteran driver is glad that he could continue that relationship beyond NASCAR and take it to a new horizon. He started the CARS Tour in 2024 with Five Flags Speedway, where he finished 13th. But he hopes he can get better by the year’s end.
Harvick is going to have a lot more fun, nonetheless, during this weekend where he will be on track with the best drivers of the sport. The action-packed weekend will commence with the all-star Cook Out 225 and conclude with the Cup Series regular season finale banger Cook Out Souther 500.
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When did Rackley W.A.R. start its driver development program?
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The team started competing full-time in the Truck Series in 2021. Their first win was in 2022 at Talladega with Matt DiBenedetto, who also took the team to the playoffs in 2023. He has now transitioned part-time to the Xfinity Series. Ty Dillon drives Rackley W.A.R.’s #25 currently.
The team is famed for fielding a roster of brilliant drivers through its program, some of which include Ross Chastain, Josh Berry, and William Byron. Its idea to be in the CARS Tour is to bring top-tier talent who can support it in its broader goal. This is the reason why Kevin Harvick is the perfect match for the team, as he is well-positioned to impart his legacy to prodigious kids like his own, Keelan Harvick.
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Kevin Harvick’s is one of the notable names in the NASCAR history. He not only brought the Cup Series championship home for Stewart-Haas Racing in the very first year of joining it, back in 2014, he has numerous race wins in Xfinity and Truck series. He is a Hall of Famer with an entire exhibit dedicated to him, showcasing his personal collection of cars and go-karts. He will bring a lot more to the sport with his all-round presence and keen enthusiasm.