13-year-old Keelan Harvick earned a well-deserved top-5 finish in the 2025 South Carolina 400 at the Florence Motor Speedway. The youngster began his Late Model debut from second position on the grid and fought against the likes of the Kvapil brothers (Caden and Carson), Jade Brown, and Jared Fryar to finish in fifth place. He spoke to the media after and expressed his elation.
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He said, “Yeah, there’s definitely a lot of stuff that happened in that race. Just can’t thank the KHI (Kevin Harvick Incorporated) guys enough. They brought me a really fast car. Sorry to them that I damaged it a bit, but came out here with a top-5.”
The grit and resilience he had to display appear to have taught him a lot about racing in this discipline, and he hoped to take it forward.
Keelan Harvick survived to a top5 in the South Carolina 400, his Late Model Stock debut pic.twitter.com/mNwjao7L9r
— Matt Weaver (@MattWeaverRA) November 23, 2025
Notably, the iconic crew chief Rodney Childers was a part of the No. 62 Hunt Brothers Pizza Chevrolet crew that Keelan drove for. His presence must have been a huge aid in securing this result. Without question, Keelan is growing quickly as an able race car driver who could someday fill the big shoes of his father, the 2014 Cup Series champion, Kevin Harvick.
Earlier this month, he debuted at the Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway and finished eighth in the JEGS/CRA All-Stars Tour All-American 100. He showcased a strong ability to manage his tires during the race, a skill that is becoming more and more important in motorsports. As he continues to improve, such results will add to his confidence and provide him with the opportunity to grow.
Kevin Harvick doesn’t mind losing to his son
Kevin and Keelan have raced against each other six times this year, and the latter has bested his father on five occasions. But as much fun as it is for the boy to beat his old man, Kevin keeps reminding him that his foes are elsewhere.
He told Fox Sports in an interview, “I tell him this all the time, I’m not the guy that you need to be racing. I’m having fun. I’m not as fast as a lot of the young kids. For me, I’m having a great time doing it.” After a notable career in the Cup Series, Kevin retired at the end of the 2023 season.
Ever since, he has focused on the other aspects of his life. Nevertheless, it certainly must be a special feeling for Keelan every time he gets to beat a NASCAR champion.
