Even the brightest stars have their dark spots, and Kevin Harvick is no exception. One of the shining figures in NASCAR, Harvick’s career boasts remarkable achievements, including his dominant 2014 Cup Series title with his crew chief Rodney Childers. However, even the 63-time Cup race winner has faced some tumultuous moments, particularly with Chase Elliott and Kyle Busch.
After hanging up his firesuit at the end of 2023, Harvick frequently reflects on his racing career, revisiting moments that weren’t always pleasant, especially those from the early and late stages of his journey.
The Wild Side of a Champion
Kevin Harvick made a name for himself with not just his driving skills but also his fiery personality. Back in 2002, while racing for Richard Childress Racing, Harvick’s aggressive streak surfaced when he got into a pit-road scuffle with Greg Biffle at Bristol. This was just the beginning. Later that season, during a Martinsville Craftsman Truck Series race, Harvick clashed multiple times with Coy Gibbs. The tension escalated when Harvick deliberately rammed Gibbs’ truck on lap 188, spinning him out. It was a sign of desperation, leading to NASCAR’s first-ever suspension for a driver due to rough driving.
That wild side of Harvick emerged again late in his career. In 2020, racing for Stewart-Haas Racing, he had a dominant year, winning nine races. Heading into the Martinsville playoff race, Harvick had a 42-point advantage, but his desperation to secure a spot in the Championship 4 led to frustration. In the final laps, he tried to push Kyle Busch into the wall, but the move backfired. Harvick finished 17th, while Busch claimed 9th, with Kyle Busch remarking, “It’s hard to fathom.”
Tensions also flared in another incident with Chase Elliott at Bristol. As both drivers battled for the lead late in the race, Elliott suffered a flat tire, and Harvick’s attempt to capitalize on the situation was thwarted. The aftermath saw a series of confrontations, including a dramatic pit-road altercation that even required law enforcement to intervene. Harvick, visibly furious, ranted, “Just chicken s–t. I mean, what else do you say? Throw a temper tantrum like you’re 2 years old because you got passed for the lead and got a flat tire.”
A Legacy of Controversy
Throughout his career, Kevin Harvick was no stranger to controversy, earning a reputation for his fiery temper. His wrestling-like antics were iconic, and the year 2002 marked one of the most memorable. After Greg Biffle wrecked his car during an Xfinity Bristol race, Harvick waited on the pit box. Inspired by Wrestlemania X8, which aired just days before, Harvick leapt onto Biffle’s car and engaged in a heated confrontation. Reflecting on the incident years later, he admitted, “I had a lot of bad influences around me at that time, really that would egg me on to do stuff like that.”
Less than two months later, the clash with Coy Gibbs at Martinsville unfolded, and NASCAR’s penalty was viewed differently by fans and fellow drivers. Kenny Wallace described Harvick as a wrestler, joking that NASCAR’s actions sent a message that it wasn’t the WWF. Meanwhile, veteran racer Ward Burton criticized Harvick’s behavior, saying, “He’s lost the respect of a lot of people just from his childish behavior.”
While these moments marked some of the darker chapters of Kevin Harvick’s career, they have become part of his legacy. Now, the veteran driver can look back at those days and chuckle, knowing his time in NASCAR was defined by both his success and his unforgettable controversies.
