A father and son rarely share the racetrack, and even more rarely do they race each other without restraint. That was the case this weekend at Tucson Speedway, where Kevin Harvick and Keelan Harvick went head-to-head in a no-holds-barred battle that quickly became the defining moment of the 13th Annual Chilly Willy.
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The West Coast pavement racing calendar opened with the 125-lap SoundGear 125, the Pro Late Model Southwest season opener, offering $7,500 to win and $1,500 to start at the historic 0.375-mile desert oval. But the numbers and the stakes took a back seat to the sight of Kevin and Keelan racing for position, with no quarter given despite the family ties.
Kevin ultimately defeated his son in the Pro Late Model portion of the event. FloRacing clips captured the two trading paint as they chased the trophy. Over the closing laps, Kevin grew more uncompromising as Keelan leaned on the #29’s door and fenders multiple times.
Harvick Sr. answered in kind, using equal measures of nerve and bumper to fend off his 13-year-old son. Broadcasters reveled in the spectacle as Kevin muscled into Keelan’s rear bumper to clear him and sail away for the victory.
After the checkered flag, the duo embraced in victory lane before the post-race debrief. Reflecting on the duel, Kevin said, “How fun is that? I thought I wrecked him there, which I would have been okay with, too.”
“At that point, I was just going for the win. I knew I had a lot of drive up off the corner, and that’s what we worked for in practice.” He also mentioned, “Yeah, I wouldn’t get pushed out of the way today. So I figured, you push me out of the way, I’ll push you out of the way.”
Kevin also thanked his sponsors and acknowledged the fans, knowing full well how much the Harvick vs. Harvick battle had entertained them.
@KeelanHarvick and @KevinHarvick trading paint for the win at the #ChillyWilly! @CARSTourWest pic.twitter.com/rKwpWUcc7I
— FloRacing (@FloRacing) January 18, 2026
Keelan later reshared FloRacing’s clip of the paint-trading finish on his X, captioning it with, “Gave it all I had! Congrats on the win Pops! “
Gave it all I had!
Congrats on the win Pops! https://t.co/nUb1d0M0Xu
— Keelan Harvick (@KeelanHarvick) January 18, 2026
The race marked a significant milestone for Keelan, as Tucson Speedway has long served as a launching pad for drivers such as Kevin Harvick, Greg Biffle, Ron Hornaday Jr., and Kurt Busch, all of whom gained national recognition through the old Winter Heat series that aired on ESPN2 and TNN in the 1990s.
That wheel-to-wheel battle with his father for the lead underscored Keelan’s growing presence in the sport. After collecting multiple victories in 2025, including the Snowflake 125 at Five Flags Speedway, Keelan has shown clear forward momentum, placing him on a trajectory that could soon lead to opportunities in ARCA or the NASCAR Truck Series.
