“I’m Going to Be Really Sad”- Tony Stewart’s Heartfelt Farewell Leaves Retiring Icon Kevin Harvick Speechless

‘He’s going to do it! He’s going to win the race and NASCAR’s Sprint Cup championship. California’s Kevin Harvick does it!’ ESPN anchor Allen Bestwick’s voice rang across the Homestead-Miami Speedway as Harvick crossed the finish line to win the 2014 Cup Series. Now, 9 years later, as the #4 driver prepares to race on the 1.5-mile track for the last time this weekend, it is naturally an emotional affair.

The champion’s longtime friend and Stewart-Haas Racing‘s team owner Tony Stewart could not let him do it without a nostalgic tribute.

Tony Stewart cannot bear the thought of the No. 4 car without Kevin Harvick

After Tony Stewart’s 2011 title, the Hall of Famer searched for another driver who could repeat his Homestead feat for Stewart-Haas Racing. Three years later, he found it when the exceptional Kevin Harvick signed on with SHR. The #4 driver infused Stewart’s team with renewed vigor and clinched another title in the Championship 4 race in Homestead that year. Now, Stewart has gone down memory lane to express his gratitude before Harvick’s final Homestead hurrah.

In a special video compiled by SHR, Harvick sat in his office as Stewart’s voice was heard on the answering machine. “Hey bud, just wanted to give you a call and thank you again for a special moment of winning the championship. It was great to be a part of it with you. You were the biggest factor in that. You built this team from the ground up, you put all the right people in place, and proud of how you built that team. You have meant so much to Stewart-Haas Racing. It has truly been an honor to have you on our team as a teammate.

Moved, Harvick listened to Stewart further speak for the entire NASCAR community. “I’m going to be really sad next year not having you in our race car, I’ll be honest. And every week that we get closer to the end of the season, it’s starting to sink in and the reality is hitting harder and harder. But just want you to know how much I think of you in every aspect of your life. It’s not about the Championships, it’s not about the race wins, it’s about you as a person. And as my true friend, I want to thank you for everything you’ve done man, love you, bud. 

The emotional team owner also touched upon Harvick’s unflinching devotion to his family.

Watch This Story: How SHR’s Tribute to Kevin Harvick Backfired

Harvick, the driver, is incomplete without Harvick the husband and father

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Kevin Harvick’s wife DeLana and their two kids, Keelan and Piper, are a permanent fixture on the race tracks cheering for him. Even during his triumphant race, the moment Harvick sped past the checkered flag, DeLana broke down in uncontrollable tears of joy. Having witnessed the family man’s unbridled love for his wife and children since his Xfinity days, Tony Stewart did not forget to include that in his message. Stewart emphasized,

“On the personal side, you’ve been a great friend from the day that I got to drive your race cars in the Xfinity Series to us joining together at Stewart-Haas Racing. There is nobody that I had more fun racing with than you. I’m proud of who you are as a person. I’m proud of who you are as a friend. Proud of your relationship with DeLana and your two kids. You’re a great father. You’re somebody that I really think the world of and just wanted you to know how proud I am of you for all of those things.”

Remembering his incomparable skills, an unmatched sense of humor, and a lifelong passion for racing, Stewart-Haas Racing and the world of motorsports would carry Kevin Harvick in their hearts 4EVER.

Read More: Kevin Harvick Reveals One Thing That Is More Important Than Racing, Melts Fans Hearts