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Kevin Harvick reflects on his NASCAR Hall of Fame nomination.
Kevin Harvick found out during the FS1 pre-race show of the Cook Out 400 at Martinsville that he was a NASCAR Hall of Fame Class of 2027 nominee.
One day removed from that live TV moment, the 2014 Cup Series champion got an opportunity to reflect.
In a career where he had 60 career Cup wins and one championship, Harvick detailed why it is special to be on the Hall of Fame nominee list.
Kevin Harvick on Hall of Fame nomination: ‘You want to be the best’
In a recent episode of “SPEED with Harvick and Buxton,” the former driver of the No. 4 was asked about the emotions of finding out he was a Hall of Fame nominee.
The 50-year-old could not shy away from how the moment made him feel.
“I would say that one brought a tear to my eye,” Harvick said.
Being enshrined in the NASCAR Hall of Fame is one of the most prolific achievements the sport has to offer.
Harvick went on to say the moment was emotional because NASCAR racing has been all he has ever known. From the driver’s seat to the TV booth, Harvick has been a staple in NASCAR for over two decades.
Now, he could find himself among the legends in the Hall of Fame next year.
“You put so much effort into everything that you do with your craft. You want to be the best at it. To be able to have the success. … It was my job for 23 years. Now, I sit here on this side of the camera being able to talk about the sport that I love. You put your whole life into something and to be able to reap the rewards of all the effort that you put into it is pretty special,” Harvick said.
Harvick competed full-time in the NASCAR Cup Series from 2001-2023. The California native competed for two different teams in his career.
He was tapped to replace the late Dale Earnhardt in 2001 and piloted the No. 29 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet from 2001-2013. One of Harvick’s most notable wins with the team was the 2007 Daytona 500.
In 2014, Harvick joined Stewart-Haas Racing. Piloting the No. 4 car, he captured the 2014 title and placed runner-up in 2015. From 2014-2023, Harvick totaled 37 wins with SHR, including a series-high nine victories in 2020.
Harvick stepped away from full-time competition at the end of the 2023 season. Yet, he ventured into the TV side of NASCAR in 2024 as a color commentator for FOX Sports.
Other NASCAR HoF nominees
Kevin Harvick is not the only one who got the nod as a NASCAR Hall of Fame nominee.
Fourteen other names made the Class of 2027 Hall of Fame nomination lineup. Some of the notables include the late Greg Biffle, who tragically perished in a plane crash last December.
Biffle won 19 career NASCAR Cup Series races and won championships in the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series and the CRAFTSMAN Truck Series.
The late Neil Bonnett is another nominee for 2027. Bonnett won 18 career NASCAR Cup Series races.
Other nominees include Jeff Burton, Randy LaJoie, and Jack Sprague. Voting for the Class of 2027 will take place on May 19.
John Breeden John Breeden is a NASCAR contributor at Heavy Sports. He has five years of sports journalism experience. He graduated from James Madison University in May of 2022 with a degree in media arts and design. John is also a sports reporter for the Daily News-Record in Harrisonburg, Virginia. Previously, John was a sports writer for JMU’s The Breeze and a NASCAR content writer for Sportskeeda. More about John Breeden
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