Next season could be Kevin’s Harvick last year a full-time Cup driver as per Stewart-Haas Racing co-owner Gene Haas.
There were already rumours regarding the retirement of the 46-year-old NASCAR veteran but there are fresh reports with Haas indicating at Las Vegas Motor Speedway that Harvick has informed the organization about his plans next season.
Gene Haas on grid said he wants Cole Custer to return to 41 next yr but Tony Stewart wants to give Ryan Preece a shot so TBD for 2023 … Haas also said Kevin Harvick has indicated he won't return after 2023 (his deal up) but Haas trying to convince him to do an extension.
— Bob Pockrass (@bobpockrass) October 16, 2022
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However, Haas also said that the organization is trying to get the No. 4 driver to sign an extension. The driver will be 48 years before the beginning of the 2024 season.
The news doesn’t come as a big surprise though as there were already rumours building up to this point. Also, Harvick has lost the touch to compete with younger drivers in a recent couple of years too.
But for the team, it is also nice to have an experienced driver around with the future of Aric Almirola also uncertain. This leaves Chase Briscoe and Cole Custer as two drivers with a certain future in the team.
Harvick may not be winning tons of races in recent years but he has done well in his SHR career. He has 37 wins since he joined the organization along with the 23 he had with Richard Childress Racing.
The likely option to replace Harvick in the No. 4 is Ryan Preece, with owner Stewart showing a particular liking to the driver.
Harvick said on a episode of the Dale Jr. Podcast he was already planning to walk away from NASCAR before he had agreed a contract extension with Stewart-Haas Racing.
It might or might not have factored in Harvick’s decision to quit NASCAR but he has grown increasingly critical of NASCAR’s way of working and the safety concerns in the Next Gen car.
The scrub will never be a Cup Champ, never. To bad he didn’t get a concussion when he hit the wall.