When Kevin Harvick stepped away from the driver’s seat in 2023, he faced a familiar uncertainty that shadows many racing retirees: whether he’d miss the thrill and adrenaline. At the time, he even hinted at the possibility of returning for lower-tier races. However, as he gradually shifted his focus to broadcasting and podcasting, he began to settle comfortably into the next chapter of his journey.
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This transition not only kept him tethered to the world he knew best but also opened new doors. Fox launched his Happy Hour podcast, which quickly gained momentum, evolving into a full-fledged program filled with engaging segments, interviews, and conversations with weekly Cup race winners.
Interestingly, the podcast was never part of a grand plan. Harvick admitted it came about more by accident than design, especially since he had never been drawn to podcasts himself. In contrast to his wife and children, who enjoy podcasts and music, Harvick preferred silence behind the wheel.
He said, “I don’t really listen to any other racing shows, to be honest with you.” But it’s not just his quiet driving habits that keep him from tuning in. Harvick explained that he deliberately avoids other NASCAR podcasts to ensure his commentary remains independent. He believes echoing others dilutes authenticity. Instead, he trusts his instincts and gathered insights to form original opinions.
As Harvick put it, “When we go to do the show, that’s our opinion. I want to watch the race, and I want to listen to the resources of people I have around me.
“I like to draw our own conclusions. I don’t want to be swayed. I don’t want to be looking at somebody else’s opinion. Otherwise, we all have the same opinion, and that’s not fun for anybody to listen to.”
But while his podcast continues to hit the mark, Harvick’s role in the Fox broadcast booth has drawn criticism lately. During Denny Hamlin’s fiery exit in Stage 1 at Texas Motor Speedway last week, Harvick and his colleagues were called out by fans for offering lackluster coverage of the moment. The disappointment led to growing anticipation for Amazon Prime’s upcoming broadcast team to take over.
Given the feedback, Kevin Harvick might now need to apply the same polish to his booth presence that he’s brought to his podcasting.
Kevin Harvick was apprehensive about starting a podcast
In a conversation with Jordan Bianchi, the 2014 NASCAR Cup champion opened up about his initial doubts about starting a podcast. When asked if he genuinely enjoys having a platform to voice his thoughts, he confessed that launching the podcast felt like a bad idea at first, but it has since grown into the perfect outlet for him to speak his mind.
At first, it felt like more than he could handle. But once he found his rhythm, Harvick realized it was less demanding than expected and settled right into it.
He even noted that the podcast has become a key part of his weekly routine. By the time he heads into Tuesday’s production meetings, he already has a clear picture of the past weekend’s events and knows where the storylines are heading.
Harvick believes fans gravitate toward the podcast because the live booth often moves too fast to unpack everything. Once the dust settles after the race, the podcast allows him to dive deeper into key takeaways, and the talking points tend to fall right into place.
