Denny Hamlin Hails “Most Respected” Driver Kevin Harvick For Picking up Mantle After Departure of NASCAR Stalwarts

Throughout his years racing in the NASCAR Cup Series fans have seen several sides and personalities of Kevin Harvick. From the young and retaliatory one to the more mellow and matured one in recent times, Harvick’s career is in its final chapter.

Recently, while speaking on a Harvick documentary titled, “4EVER Defining: The Closer,” fellow Cup Series driver Denny Hamlin explained why he believed that the SHR driver is often considered to be the most respected race car driver amongst everyone else in the modern-day NASCAR garage, even comparing the SHR driver to the likes of Tony Stewart, Jimmie Johnson, and the others.

Hamlin mentioned, “Well, one thing is for sure whenever Kevin speaks up whether it be in the media or at the racetrack, off the racetrack people listen. I think Kevin is probably the most respected racecar driver that we have in our garage.”

“I think that he’s really been a great voice and a great leader within our sport. And many years when we lost Tony Stewart and Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson, Dale Earnhardt Jr., and that whole group, during that four-year span, really Kevin has been the leader amongst the drivers I feel like from that point. And it’s a role I think that he has really taken on and enjoyed doing.”

Hamlin expressed admiration for Harvick’s willingness to dedicate his spare time toward improving the sport and enhancing the lives of drivers, even after his driving career eventually comes to a close.

Hamlin believes Harvick inherited Dale Earnhart Sr.’s fans

Speaking further into the video, Hamlin explains how he feels in a way Harvick managed to inherit the devout Earnhardt Sr. fans into his fan base. He stated, “I think that Kevin has been around a very long time right? And he’s got a lot of the legacy Dale Earnhardt fans that quickly latched onto Kevin because he was cut from the same mold.”

It is a known fact that soon after the tragic passing of Dale Earnhardt Sr. Harvick was thrust onto the Cup Series scene, taking the NASCAR legend’s place. With all of the limelight on him all of a sudden, the pressure to perform had been immense since day one.

Although, he did manage to overcome the pressure and showcased what he was made of. Harvick will surely be missed by his fans, fellow drivers, and the NASCAR community in general.