Kevin Harvick’s career is the stuff of legend. A 2014 NASCAR Cup Series champion with over 60 career wins and a spot among NASCAR’s all-time greats, Harvick has more than earned his place in the motorsports Hall of Fame. Even after retiring, he’s made waves as a respected broadcaster, proving his impact goes far beyond the track. But apparently, all those accolades still aren’t enough to earn Harvick or NASCAR the recognition they deserve.

A recent incident involving Harvick, his son Keelan, and the NFL has NASCAR fans fired up, calling out what they see as yet another sign of the sport’s fading prominence. It all started at Bank of America Stadium during a Carolina Panthers game. Kevin Harvick and his 12-year-old son Keelan, an up-and-coming talent in motorsports, were in the stands when Panthers safety Sam Franklin Jr. stopped by.

Franklin Jr. shared an elaborate, choreographed handshake with Keelan while Kevin looked on, grinning proudly from the sidelines. The wholesome moment was caught on video and posted by the NFL’s official social media account with the caption, “Sam Franklin Jr. has an incredible handshake with this young fan 💙.” What might’ve seemed like an innocent caption to some quickly rubbed NASCAR fans the wrong way. Referring to Keelan as simply “a young fan” while completely ignoring his legendary dad sitting right there in the background? Not a great look.

Franklin Jr. clearly knows who the Harvicks are—he follows Keelan on Instagram. But the NFL’s social media post made it sound like they were just a couple of random attendees. NASCAR’s account couldn’t resist throwing some shade, responding with, “We know them! 🤔🧩 @KevinHarvick | @KeelanHarvick.” Kevin Harvick, for his part, stayed mostly quiet, simply retweeting the video and tagging his son, the Panthers, and the NFL. But NASCAR fans weren’t about to let this slide; for them, it wasn’t just about the oversight—it was a reminder of how far NASCAR’s cultural relevance has slipped compared to juggernauts like the NFL.

Fans rally behind Kevin Harvick

As the NFL’s post made the rounds, NASCAR fans wasted no time jumping in to defend the Harvicks. One fan wrote: “That ‘young fan’ is almost certainly going to be a NASCAR star in 10 years. His dad is the 2014 champ and is just casually hanging out in the background. The NASCAR erasure is bleak, bros.” Another chimed in: “NASCAR so irrelevant the NFL admin posted Kevin Harvick, the [expletive] 2014 Cup Series champ, like he’s just some nobody at a game. That’s crazy dawg.”

To NASCAR fans, this wasn’t just about one social media post. It was about what that post symbolized: a perceived lack of respect for a sport that once dominated American culture. One fan summed it up perfectly: “Damn, they did Harvick and his son dirty. Acting like they’re just some random fans. That’s a NASCAR champion with 60 career wins with his son. Just tells you how niche NASCAR has become, unfortunately.”

And it’s not like the Harvicks are unknowns. Keelan, at just 12 years old, is already making waves in the racing world. Since starting his career in go-karts in 2020, he’s racked up championship wins in the SKUSA Winter Series, U.S. Legend Cars, and USPKS National Micro. In 2023, he dominated the INEX Young Lions Asphalt series, taking 27 wins and 38 podium finishes in 49 starts. This year he debuted on the Late Model scene and is already getting up to speed, the kid is clearly on the fast track to NASCAR stardom.

As for Kevin, his resume speaks for itself. He’s a Daytona 500 winner, a Coca-Cola 600 champion, and one of the most consistent drivers in NASCAR history. His 2014 championship and over two decades of success make him a household name in motorsports—even if the NFL’s social media admin somehow missed the memo. For fans, this incident highlights a larger issue: NASCAR’s struggle to maintain its relevance in an increasingly crowded sports landscape. Where NASCAR once held a firm place in American culture, today it’s often overshadowed by leagues like the NFL. The NFL’s post—whether a simple oversight or something more—was a stark reminder of just how far NASCAR’s visibility has fallen.

But moments like this also serve as rallying cries for fans who are passionate about the sport’s legacy and future. For the Harvicks, it might just be a fun memory from a day at the game, but for NASCAR fans, it’s a wake-up call. Whether this sparks meaningful change for NASCAR’s place in the cultural conversation remains to be seen. But one thing’s for sure: the Harvicks are far from “just some fans.”