"I didn't like my job anymore" - When Kevin Harvick reflected on nervous conversation with Richard Childress about leaving RCR

Kevin Harvick spent the first half of his NASCAR Cup Series career with Richard Childress Racing. The relationship didn’t end amicably, as Harvick admitted he didn’t enjoy racing for the team and had signed a contract with Stewart-Haas Racing long before his deal with RCR was up.

Richard Childress gave Harvick his first big opportunity in the Busch Series (now Xfinity) in 2000. He drove the #2 Chevy to three victories and earned Rookie of the Year honors. Following Dale Earnhardt's tragic death in the 2001 Daytona 500, Harvick was promoted to drive the #29 Chevy. He went on to win his first Cup Series race in just his third start.

However, championship success eluded Harvick and RCR over the next decade. As his contract approached expiration in 2010, Harvick considered leaving RCR but ultimately renewed his commitment to Childress out of loyalty. However, by 2012, the landscape had shifted, and Harvick initiated discussions with Stewart Haas Racing, even though his contract was set to continue through the 2013 season.

Yearning for a change in environment, Harvick signed with SHR and was set to join the team in 2014. In a past interview with Graham Bensinger, Harvick revealed that informing Childress of his decision was the hardest part, admitting he was very nervous before the conversation.

"I wanted to go and tell Richard myself, so that was definitely the hardest part of the whole deal. I've never been more nervous in my whole life and at that particular point you know that once you sign that contract and you go in and tell them, that's it, there's no turning back." the former #29 Chevy driver said. [from 2:55]

The Bakersfield, California native also spoke about the circumstances leading him to sign with SHR.

"We went through a lot of conversations and a lot of talk and just really felt like I needed a change because I didn't really like going to my job anymore and that wasn't healthy for everything at home. In the end it turned out okay," he said.

Harvick conveyed his decision to Childress during a team meeting, which caught everyone off guard as they weren't expecting him to leave. This created an awkward atmosphere throughout the 2013 season, with both sides eagerly awaiting the eventual split.

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Kevin Harvick on "awkward" 2013 season with RCR

In Picture: Kevin Harvick and Richard Childress (Source: Imagn)

Stewart Haas Racing announced Kevin Harvick's signing in January 2013. However, Harvick remained with Richard Childress Racing for the entirety of the 2013 season before the official transition to Stewart Haas Racing.

In the aformentioned interview, Harvick admitted that the early announcement led to many awkward situations, as neither side was fully invested in working together anymore.

"I had to basically say what I was doing a year and a half before my contract was actually up. It created a lot of awkward situations... They had to figure out how they had to race with a guy that wasn't going to be on their team the year after. I had to figure out how I could race at my fullest potential to still win races and not let them down." he said. [from 1:30]

The former #29 RCR Chevy driver added that despite the hostile atmosphere, he had to "suck it up" and finish off the season.

"Obviously, at that point, they knew I didn't want to be there, they didn't want me there anymore just for the fact that I didn't want to be there. You had to suck it up in a lot of different ways to make it all work," he said.

Harvick ended his tenure at Richard Childress Racing with 23 wins, including a Daytona 500 victory. He went on to win the championship in his first season with Stewart Haas Racing and retired a decade later in 2023.