Getty Kevin Harvick is last in the playoff standings.
Stewart-Haas Racing’s Kevin Harvick saw his night at Darlington Raceway come to an early end due to a massive fire in the final stage. He faced questions about the problem, and he responded by ripping the Next Gen era, labeling it a disaster, and calling out the decision-makers at NASCAR.
“I’m sure it’s just the crappy parts on the race car like we’ve seen so many times,” Harvick told NBC Sports after exiting the race. “We haven’t fixed anything. It’s kind of like the safety stuff. We let it keep going and keep going.”
The 2014 Cup Series champion continue and explained that he had run a couple of laps with the car on fire. He ultimately pulled over as the flames got bigger and started burning things up on the inside of the No. 4 Ford Mustang.
A frustrated Kevin Harvick explains what happened inside the car as it caught fire. #NASCARPlayoffs
“What a disaster, man,” Harvick added. “For no reason. We didn’t touch the wall, we didn’t touch the car, and here we are in the pits with a burned-up car, and we can’t finish the race during the playoffs because of crappy a** parts.”
Harvick did not stop with the comments on the live broadcast. He also met with media members by his hauler and said that “it’s cheaper to not fix” the problems that have persisted with harder hits and fires. He said that the only way to fix the issue is to “find somebody to run the show who can run it.”
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The Fire Occurred After Harvick Discussed the Next Gen Safety Concerns
GettyKevin Harvick has remained vocal about safety concerns.
The fire at Darlington took place mere days after Harvick met with reporters during playoff media day. He spent considerable time discussing the Next Gen era, the hard hits that multiple drivers have experienced, and the lengths that he has gone to keep himself safe.
“I mean, every hit that I’ve pretty much taken in the car hurts,” Harvick explained on September 1. “We hear it week after week after week. It seems slow, the response, in my opinion, but that’s just my opinion. I think, from my previous experiences, I’ve had some things that I’ve presented that we’re three years into having no response to from a driver’s standpoint.
Kevin Harvick’s car bursts into flames! #NASCARPlayoffs
📺 : @USA_Network
“So the things I think that the drivers would consider the most important may not rank as high on that priority list when everybody’s not out there banging into stuff themselves. I think when you see Denny [Hamlin] talking about being banged up and Kurt [Busch] out, you hear the hits week after week after week and I know everybody is talking about making some changes, but I haven’t really seen any.”
Harvick continued during his session and explained that there are other issues that require attention. He also mentioned fumes that are coming into the cabins of the stock cars. Harvick said that there have been chemicals in his blood, a problem that he said has persisted for multiple years based on the tests he has done.
The Concerns & Questions Will Continue Throughout the Playoffs
GettyKevin Harvick will continue to have strong statements about the Next Gen cars.
There have been discussions about the safety of the Next Gen cars throughout the regular season. Drivers have been vocal about the hard hits, the headaches they have experienced, and Kurt Busch’s continued absence due to lingering concussion-like symptoms.
Along with the hits, the fires have also been an issue. Joey Logano, Chris Buescher, JJ Yeley, and Harvick have all seen their stock cars randomly burst into flames during and after races. These blazes ended the Southern 500 for Harvick and Yeley while Buescher and Logano managed to finish the race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
These conversations will only continue during the remaining nine races of the 2022 Cup Series season. The drivers will continue to be vocal about their concerns while also wondering if there will be fixes put in place for the second year of the Next Gen era.
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