With The Dale Jr. Download in control of a thriving podcast media empire in NASCAR, Dale Earnhardt Jr. has created a powerful platform that blends NASCAR coverage with personal storytelling. Their success has been so pronounced that even NASCAR jumped on the bandwagon, launching its own podcast, Hauler Talk, to shed light on race-day decisions and offer clarity on contentious calls in an effort to increase transparency.
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Following in similar footsteps, 2014 NASCAR Cup Series champion Kevin Harvick also ventured into the podcasting world after hanging up his helmet in 2023. Yet, as Harvick recently revealed, the idea didn’t initially sit well with him.
In an honest exchange with reporter Jordan Bianchi, Harvick reflected on his early reservations. When asked whether he genuinely enjoys having the platform and having an outlet, he admitted, “I thought that podcast was a terrible idea when we started, but it has evolved into exactly (that sort of outlet).”
It seemed like a lot of work to Harvick. However, given it’s not as difficult as one would think it is, Harvick has made his peace with the same.
In fact, he admitted that his podcast actually helps him prepare for the week. By the time he gets to his production meetings on Tuesday, he already has a pretty well-rounded idea of what happened over the weekend or what he is leading into for the next week.
Harvick believes fans enjoy the podcast because the live booth moves too fast to catch everything. Post-race, the pace slows down, allowing time to digest key moments. As he put it, the topics “pretty much shape themselves.”
He added, “It’s great to be able to dive into some of the more critical things, whether it’s NASCAR, driver, track, whatever that scenario is, to be able to have those conversations that are tough.”
Harvick has discussed his retirement, analyzed the performances of drivers like Kyle Busch, and recently criticized Denny Hamlin’s “11 against the world” flag — an act he clearly didn’t appreciate.
Harvick’s weakness as an analyst after the second year with Fox
While fans applaud Kevin Harvick for smoothly transitioning from driver to analyst and gaining booth experience alongside Mike Joy and Clint Bowyer, he has acknowledged one key area where he still treads carefully. He admitted he often worries about stepping on someone’s toes or overthinking how to navigate the closing laps on air.
As Harvick explained, the end of a race often turns into an organized chaos, with two strong voices already in play. At times, he’s unsure when to speak up or when to hold back, emphasizing the need to pick his moments wisely — if something needs to be said, say it briefly and move on. For that reason, he prefers to let Joy take the reins in those situations.
On the flip side, Harvick sees his greatest strength as his ability to act as a bridge, translating the drivers’ mindset and in-car reality for fans watching at home.
