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One of the biggest questions heading toward the 2023 season focuses on whether Kevin Harvick will return for more Cup Series races. He hasn’t provided an answer, but he has set a timeline for his decision.
The 2014 Cup Series champion provided the comments on December 1 ahead of the NASCAR Awards. He explained that he would like to have an idea before the start of the 2023 season. He doesn’t want to take on the 36-race schedule with that lingering question as others have done in the past.
“I’ll know that answer before we get to Daytona,” Harvick said. “I don’t really have a clear answer on that right now. So I think as we get to Daytona, I know I 100% will have a direction because I’m not going to start the season without knowing that direction.
“And just because of the fact that there’s just a lot of layers to unfold and really go through and evaluate here,” Harvick added. “And so we’ll see. I think it could go either way at this particular point.”
Harvick Has 1 Season Remaining on His Deal
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GettyKevin Harvick arrives for the race at Talladega Superspeedway.
The main reason why this is a conversation is the status of Harvick’s contract. He only has one year remaining on his deal, and he will become a free agent after the season finale at Phoenix Raceway.
Obviously, the expectation was that Harvick would retire after the 2023 season. He has previously acknowledged this possibility during interviews and podcast appearances. Though he has also shown that he can still win races and contend on a weekly basis.
Harvick enjoyed another statistically strong season in 2022. He won two races to reach 60 in his Cup Series career, and he posted top-10 finishes in 47.2% of his starts. His numbers could have been better, but he dealt with unexpected issues. Chief among them was the fire at Darlington Raceway.
2023 will provide Harvick with another opportunity to add wins to his career total while pursuing another spot in the playoffs. He will suit up for the final 36 races of his existing deal while everyone else awaits an important decision about his future.
Harvick Will Potentially Receive Other Big Offers
There are multiple factors that will potentially play a role in Harvick’s decision about his future. His own desire to compete will be one of the most important. Though there will be another potential factor in the form of job offers.
Harvick will have no shortage of options when he walks away from full-time Cup Series competition. One will likely be joining the booth of one of NASCAR’s broadcast partners.
The veteran has spent time in the FOX booth in recent seasons while helping provide commentary for Xfinity Series races. This time includes serving as the play-by-play man during the “drivers only” broadcast at Charlotte Motor Speedway.
Harvick could be a hot prospect for the FOX booth ahead of the 2024 season. The broadcast partner will move forward with a rotating third seat in 2023, following a trend set in 2022, but FOX could opt to pursue The Closer for its permanent third option.
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