Kevin Harvick is back in action. The 2014 Cup Series winner took part in the first race of the 2025 CARS Tour West Super Late Model season at Kern Raceway. A total of 17 teams competed in the event, and the 49-year-old turned back the clock with his performance, showing glimpses of his former self at the 1/2-mile paved oval. Representing Rick Hendrick in the No. 29 car, the California native ended up finishing second, just behind Truck Series racer Dawson Sutton.

Despite coming agonizingly close to a win, Harvick will be satisfied with the outcome of the race. The veteran racer fell short to his Rackley WAR teammate on his home track, and can plenty of positives from the performance after a brief hiatus from the sport.

Kevin Harvick expresses gratitude for a successful racing event

Kevin Harvick is back where he belongs. Hailing from Bakersfield, the veteran racer returned to Kern County this weekend to participate in the SoundGear 400, showing his racing prowess in front of home fans at the venue he owns. Driving the Hendrick Motorsports branded No. 29, the racer led from lap 23 and maintained his lead until Lap 92. However, Sutton overtook the former Stewart-Haas Racing driver after the restart and maintained the lead until the checkered flag was waved at the 125-lap event.

Despite the race’s outcome, Kevin Harvick was elated at finishing runner-up. Sharing his thoughts about the event, the veteran driver wrote on X, “What a weekend! I can’t thank the fans, sponsors, and every single employee enough for making this event so special. Racing hard against @dawsonsutton26 was an absolute blast, and I’m proud to come home with P2. It’s events like this that remind me why I love this sport. Here’s to putting West Coast racing back on the map!”

Dawson Sutton is preparing for his first full-time stint in the NASCAR Truck Series. The Rackley WAR racer made seven appearances in the competition last year, finishing as high as fifth at Kansas Speedway. Securing a triumph against Kevin Harvick will give him all the confidence he needs before the 2025 campaign, which could be a breakthrough season for the 18-year-old. While Harvick managed to close the gap against the youngster towards the end, the veteran racer fell half-second behind his rival when the checkered flag was waved at Kern Raceway.

Despite driving a Rackley-Willie Allen Racing car, Harvick expressed gratitude towards his car’s primary sponsor, going on to say, “I’ve got to thank HendrickCars.com and Rick Hendrick for coming on board.” The 49-year-old was making his long-awaited comeback on the racetrack, having taken almost a two-year-long hiatus from the sport to spend more time with family. However, the veteran driver is eager to undertake more motorsports adventures this year, and has exciting plans lined up for the rest of 2025.

Harvick to race against his son at Owosso Speedway

There is a lot of excitement surrounding the JEGS All-Stars Tour Masters of the Pro’s 200 at Owosso Speedway. Why wouldn’t there be? After all, Kevin Harvick will be competing against his son Keelan on the racetrack, along with other top-level drivers in the country. The 0.375-mile paved short track has been home to motorsports action since 1939 and will be featuring a highly anticipated father-son clash on July 16th.

Kevin Harvick has closed the curtains on his NASCAR career after securing 60 wins in the Cup Series in over two decades at the highest level. Meanwhile, his son Keelan is only 12 but is making quite a name for himself in the motorsports community. The youngster has already secured nine wins at the INEX Legends Car Young Lions and three triumphs in the Young Lions Legends Car Division of the 2024 Summer Shootout, which was held at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

Both Kevin and Keelan Harvick will be joining Rackley WAR’s Super Late Model and Pro Late Model programs in the year ahead, and they will also share a car in the zMAX CARS Tour Pro Late Model Series. It’s an exciting time for the father-son duo, as both drivers will be keen on earning bragging rights by defeating the other on the racetrack. Keelan Harvick already looks like a bright prospect behind the wheel of a race car, and it seems inevitable that he will follow in his father’s footsteps and become a Cup Series driver one day.