When Kevin Harvick retired last year, he left behind a long and glittering racing legacy. Picking up 60 trophies in NASCAR, including crown-jewel races like Brickyard 400, Coca-Cola 600, and Daytona 500, Harvick is worshipped as a motorsport king. However, there was a time when Happy Harvick was young and hungry for inspiration. And one of NASCAR’s legends reigned supreme in his ambitions.

Kevin Harvick debuted in the American racing series in 1999, but his actual journey kick-started the following year. In 2000, Harvick got the opportunity to take the wheel alongside his racing role model. Although the struggle for that coveted spot took a financial toll, Harvick was undeterred.

Kevin Harvick reveals money crunch in pursuit of his race dream

The Intimidator was in his prime when Kevin Harvick entered the NASCAR Busch Series. Dale Earnhardt Senior’s name echoed far and wide in racing circles, as his driving prowess was unparalleled. The 7-time Cup champion held 76 victories under his belt, including 34 Daytona victories. His 1998 Daytona win was iconic, as crew members from every team lined up to congratulate him on the pit road.

Hence, Kevin Harvick’s goal was simple: to trade paint with this racing legend. In an episode of ‘Kevin Harvick’s Happy Hour’, Harvick recounted how the sport was looking for a new young driver in 2000. He even got offers from some big names, as he shared, “So I get a call from Richard, Cal Wells, and Joe Gibbs.”

Joe Gibbs was already renowned as a master football coach, and Bobby Labonte had won the JGR championship in 2000. However, Harvick’s sights were elsewhere, and he dumped Gibbs for Childress. “I wanted to go and drive with Earnhardt. That was the deciding factor why I went to RCR, because I wanted to race on the same team as Dale Earnhardt. Because I was a fan, my dad was a fan.”

But after Richard Childress signed him into his team, Kevin Harvick was in a dilemma. “I go home, and I had to get a lawyer because I just signed a three-year contract. I just bought my first house, and I had to take a second loan out on my house, to buy myself out of my Liberty Racing contract, to go to work for Richard.”

And Harvick and his wife had to live hand to mouth for some time, as the young driver’s ambitions were costly. “We lived off of DeLana’s credit cards from the end of the season until we started after Daytona when I started to get my paycheck.”

However, Kevin Harvick’s hard-fought battles paid off in sums the NASCAR community could never imagine. But the RCR team had to be crippled with a tragedy first.

Harvick paved the way for RCR after NASCAR’s setback

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When Kevin Harvick entered Richard Childress’ fold, he was a promising driver. He ran the 2000 NASCAR Busch Grand National Series schedule for RCR as Rookie of the Year. In 2001, Harvick was the ‘project driver’, aiming to run a few Cup races, but mostly aiming for what is now the Xfinity championship. However, when Dale Earnhardt passed away on the final lap of the 2001 Daytona 500, things took a 360-degree turn.

Kevin Harvick was named to run the remaining 35 races of the 36-race Cup schedule in Earnhardt’s stead. The pressure would have been overwhelming for any other driver, but Harvick was stellar. He beat Jeff Gordon in Atlanta in only his 3rd Cup start. Richard Childress’ faith in him paid off well: “He’s good and he’s strong, and we were going to move him up next year, anyway. This has just made it happen a lot sooner than any of us would have wanted.”

Hence Kevin Harvick’s hard-fought entry into RCR was because of his passion as a driver and his respect for Dale Sr- to whom he paid the tribute in a fitting way.