Getty Kevin Harvick waves to fans at Atlanta Motor Speedway.
Kevin Harvick may be in the midst of his final full-time NASCAR Cup Series season, but he is not necessarily slowing down. He is reviving his KHI (Kevin Harvick, Inc.) team for multiple events.
Harvick announced the news on March 22. He released a video and revealed that he will compete in the CARS Tour race at North Wilkesboro Speedway on May 17. He will drive the No. 62 Late Model in what will be the first of multiple events for KHI.
Harvick did not reveal the number of events in which KHI will compete as the team returns to action. Instead, he just made it clear that the trip to North Wilkesboro Speedway will not be a one-off event for the No. 62.
“I’m excited to get to North Wilkesboro and compete in the CARS Tour,” Harvick said in a statement. “I’ve watched Dale [Earnhardt Jr.] go out and have fun racing with these guys and I’ve been kind of jealous watching from the sidelines. I want to go out, have fun, get to know the racers who compete in these series regularly, and see how I can help the drivers with my racing knowledge.
“Short-track racing really is the root that feeds into the higher series and everything we do in racing. The best way to make sure that continues and is strong is to be a part of it and racing at North Wilkesboro is just one of those steps. It’s going to be a great week with all we have planned between the late model and the Cup car.”
The Return of KHI Follows a Significant Deal Involving Harvick
GettyKevin Harvick prepares for the Cup Series race at Phoenix Raceway.
There have been questions about Harvick potentially making some starts in the CARS Tour since the first of the year. This is when he announced that he had joined an ownership group in purchasing the series.
On January 9, a press release revealed that Dale Earnhardt Jr., Jeff Burton, Harvick, and Justin Marks had teamed up to purchase the CARS Tour. They took ownership of the series, but they also confirmed that founder Jack McNelly and his staff will continue to oversee operations.
The focus for this ownership group, per the press release, was to ensure the health of the CARS Tour using their extensive background in a wide variety of businesses. They also provided the star power to bring in and keep numerous partners.
Fast-forward to the week of the All-Star Race at North Wilkesboro Speedway, which is when Harvick will get back behind the wheel of a Late Model. He will take over the No. 62 with Hunt Brothers Pizza as his primary partner, and he will compete at the historic short track.
KHI Achieved Success in Multiple Series
GettyRyan Newman won a race at Atlanta Motor Speedway for KHI.
The return of KHI is significant due to the team’s history across multiple racing series. It competed in the ARCA Menards Series (2006-2011), the Craftsman Truck Series (2001-2011), and the Xfinity Series (2004-2011).
A wide variety of drivers suited up for KHI, and they achieved success in the entries. For example, Harvick, Tony Stewart, and Bobby Labonte combined to win 10 races in the Xfinity Series.
There were several drivers that also won races for KHI in the Truck Series. This list includes Mike Wallace, Harvick, Clint Bowyer, Ryan Newman, and Elliott Sadler.
Ron Hornaday Jr. achieved the most success as a full-time driver with 25 of his 51 career wins. He also won two of his four Truck Series championships for KHI (2007, 2009).
According to a press release obtained by Short Track Scene, there will be more drivers that race under the KHI banner. Harvick works with several through the management side, which opens up opportunities for some extra starts in the CARS Tour.
“With where we are on the management side, the ownership in the CARS Tour, and with Keelan’s racing, it felt like the right time to bring KHI back,” Harvick said. “For now it’ll be a place for us to run races to gain experience for our KHI Management, LLC (KHIM) drivers, compete in the CARS Tour to better understand how we can help make changes for the better, and ultimately, have some fun racing.”