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NASCAR World Reacts To Retirement Of Kevin Harvick, Who Replaced Dale Earnhardt After Crash

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Twenty-two years ago, Kevin Harvick stepped into a nearly unwinnable situation.

Somehow, he not only won. But he won big.

Harvick, then 26 years old, was tasked with replacing Dale Earnhardt following his tragic crash at the 2001 Daytona 500 that took the life of the seven-time series champion.

For most drivers, this would have been an impossible task. For Harvick, however, it was just beginning of what would become a Hall of Fame career.

Harvick went out and won his first career race just weeks later at Atlatnta Motor Speedway. It was the first of two wins on the year en route to the NASCAR Rookie of the Year Award. Harvick also finished in the top 10 in points for the first of an eventual 16 times.

He’d go on to win 58 more times (and counting), which ranks him 10th all-time on the series’ list of most victories. Harvick won his first and only championship in 2014, but he also finished as the series runner-up in 2015 and has six fifth-place finishes.

On Thursday morning, Harvick announced his retirement following the completion of the 2023 season.

NASCAR Superstar Kevin Harvick Releases Emotional Retirement Video

Rumors of Harvick’s retirement began to leak out late Wednesday evening. On Thursday morning, he confirmed those rumors with an emotional video on Twitter.

“I’ve sought out people and picked their brains. When I asked them when they knew it was the right time, they said it’ll just happen, and you’ll realize that’s the right moment. You’ll make a plan and decide when it’s your last year.

“It’s definitely been hard to understand when that right moment is because we’ve been so fortunate to run well. But sometimes there are just other things going on that become more important and, for me, that time has come.”

Harvick, who was known as much for his talent as he was his unfettered personality, has plenty of people waiting to wish him well.

Team owner Tony Stewart was one of the first to weigh in.

The rest of the racing world quickly followed.

For many, Harvick’s retirement signifies the end of an era in the sport. But it’s clear his legacy and place in NASCAR history is as safe as could be.