Idolizing a driver as a kid and competing alongside them as a professional race car driver has got to be the most surreal experience. Many Cup Series stalwarts today, including Ryan Blaney, have lived through this.
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Blaney, for instance, remembers meeting the iconic Kevin Harvick as a young boy. Years later, he competed against and even beat Harvick to the checkered flag multiple times.
Speaking to the press during the recent playoff media day, he spoke highly of the aspect of young drivers coming up in the sport to race against their heroes and used his relationship with Harvick to shine a brighter light on it.
Kevin’s son, Keelan, is currently competing in Pro Late Model events. Blaney expects the 13-year-old to be in the Cup Series one day, giving him a tough time. He said, “I was talking to Harvick on his podcast this week. I was like, ‘Maybe, dude, before too long, your boy’s going to be whooping my butt.’
“And I remember it’s such a weird out-of-body thing because Twilight Zone stuff, you know. I was a kid holding my dad’s hand, talking to Kevin Harvick at driver intros, and I remember Keelan holding his dad’s hand, talking to me at driver intros.”
Blaney continued to acknowledge that no one can predict who makes it in stock car racing and who doesn’t. His only wish is that he lasts at the top of the game long enough for Keelan or one of his likes to come up and race against him.
He is only 31 years old and still has a long career ahead of him. Should the young Harvick keep gunning the way he is now, it won’t be long before they race against each other.
Is Keelan Harvick good enough for the Cup Series?
There were signs a few years back that Keelan would be more interested in Formula 1 than in NASCAR. But that affinity appears to have changed lanes now. Kevin has reiterated on multiple forums that his son is certainly more into stock car racing now.
Aligning with the same, the teen has a schedule of 25-30 races in late model events this year. This ought to develop the skills he needs for the Cup Series.
Notably, he secured his maiden stock car racing win in the CARS Tour Pro Late Model division at the Hickory Motor Speedway earlier this year. Racing and winning against established drivers, including his father, shows the trajectory that he is on.
