Kevin Harvick has plenty of reasons to be proud. Even though the 48-year-old has retired from NASCAR, the California native has a late-model program, where he’s the owner and driver of Kevin Harvick Incorporated. Under that banner, he has plenty of promising drivers, including his son, driving for him. Competing for two seasons with Legends cars has prepared Keelan Harvick to go wheel-to-wheel with Late Model veterans, and it’s fair to say that the 12-year-old more than held his own on his debut.

Keelan Harvick wants to follow in his father’s footsteps and break into NASCAR in the foreseeable future, and excelling at the grassroots stage will be key to fast-tracking his way into the highest levels of stock car racing.

Like father, like son

Keelan Harvick seems to be making quite a name for himself. The 12-year-old participated in his first Limited Late Model race at Florence Motor Speedway, taking the wheel of his father’s No. 62 Hunt Brothers Pizza Chevrolet. Driving with maturity beyond his years, the youngster showed great consistency in the 96-lap event, finishing eighth, which was an impressive outcome on a national stage like the South Carolina 400.

Reflecting on the experience, Kevin Harvick’s son candidly said, “Yeah, it was definitely a lot different from the street stock that I ran at New River but it was definitely a lot more challenging than the Legends cars, like by saving tires. I definitely have to get used to that a little bit more.” Expressing his feelings ahead of more races in 2025, Keelan Harvick went on to say, “I think it has definitely built my confidence. I think this was a really good starting point to the first race and I just can’t thank everybody enough. I’m gonna just keep working on myself and just try to do better next year.”

Keelan Harvick has had a good year, with seven combined wins at the Cook Out Summer Shootout and the INEX Winter Heat at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Given his performances in Legends cars, his father, Kevin Harvick, knew it was only a matter of time before the 12-year-old progressed into the Limited Late Model races. With 30 cars competing at Florence Motor Speedway, the young driver remained undaunted while saving his tires and executing the perfect restarts, taking it all in his stride.

A top-ten finish will be something Keelan Harvick can be proud of, and the youngster was quite pleased with the outcome. He said, “I think I did pretty good. You always want more as a race car driver, but that was pretty good for my first race.” The 12-year-old will be partnering with Rackley W.A.R., which will see him compete in several Pro Late Model events in 2025. Competing in a diverse range of tracks across the country will test him physically and mentally, and prepare him for the rigors of being a motorsport driver as he looks to carry on his family’s legacy going forward.

Kevin Harvick proud of his son’s achievement

Trending

Tony Stewart’s Wife Leah Pruett Pens a Heartfelt Message for Husband After His Unwavering Support for His Family

Kyle Busch Shuts Down Unhappy Fan’s Social Media Rant Questioning His Integrity With 2-Word Response

Denny Hamlin’s One Final FedEx Tribute Steals the NASCAR Awards Spotlight as He Uncovers Drivers ‘Disgruntled’ Emotions

“We Are Not Morning People”- Travel Woes Hit Home for Kyle Busch & Wife Samantha Leaving Son Brexton Grinning

“Godspeed Les” – NASCAR Loses Old School Pioneer Integral to Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s Late Model Venture

Racing is a tradition in the Harvick family, which is why it should come as no surprise that Keelan wants to follow in his father Kevin Harvick’s footsteps and become a professional racecar driver. It seems only yesterday that the young driver was cheering on his father on the racetrack, and the tables have turned so quickly. The 2014 Cup Series winner is now his crew member and biggest supporter, while Keelan Harvick makes a name for himself at the grassroots level.

Expressing his thoughts after his son’s eighth-place finish, Kevin Harvick said, “I think we kind of threw [Keelan] to the wolves. I didn’t really put all this together for him to be in the biggest Limited race of the year, but it worked out really well because he got to race against a really competitive field. His race craft tonight was something I was proud of. He did an amazing job in the car.”

Next year, the father-son duo are all set to compete against each other in Pro and Limited Late Model races under the Kevin Harvick Inc. banner. While a schedule hasn’t been released yet, the 48-year-old said, “Yeah I think next year we’ll probably run eight to twelve of these Limited Late Model races”. As for Keelan, the 12-year-old has already accomplished a lot in his short career but will look to set his sights higher going forward. The future looks bright for the youngster, but will he manage to live up to the expectations placed on his shoulders?