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Kevin Harvick has named who he believes should replace Chase Elliott as NASCAR’s Most Popular Driver, and he said it without hesitation. On a recent episode of Kevin Harvick’s Happy Hour podcast, Harvick singled out Kyle Larson as the clear frontrunner for the title. The conversation took place during a discussion regarding Larson’s ongoing battles with Denny Hamlin, especially focusing on their head-to-head races in the NASCAR Cup Series.
According to Kevin Harvick, Kyle Larson is now the most popular driver in the Cup Series. Harvick cited not just Larson’s on-track performance, but also his intensity and visibility in recent races. Larson’s style, speed, and growing fanbase, Harvick argued, put him in position to take over the mantle from Chase Elliott, who has held the title for years.
While Harvick made reference to the seven time 1-2 battle between Denny Hamlin and Kyle Larson, which also came to the forefront in Bristol’s race, a guest on the show pointed out two other instances with a similar scenario. This includes two races where he didn’t finish second but was still battling Hamlin for the win on the final lap—at Pocono and Kansas in 2023. That kind of sustained front-running performance, Harvick noted, is why Larson has become the face of the sport right now. In his own words,
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“Kyle Larson is the most popular driver in the Cup series right now…He sells the most souvenirs, races the most races, wins. He’s on it.” [13:00]
With regard to the 7 races discussed, one took place at Bristol on April 13, 2025. Larson ended a long stretch of second-place finishes to Hamlin in 1-2 results. Before Bristol, Hamlin had come out on top in all six of their previous close finishes—Richmond (2016), New Hampshire (2017), Darlington (2021), Kansas (2023), Bristol (2023), and Dover (2024). Larson broke that pattern at Bristol, leading 251 of 500 laps to take his 31st career Cup Series win.
Kevin Harvick’s thoughts on Kyle Larson’s tribute to Jon Edwards
Just three days before the race, Larson’s longtime PR representative, Jon Edwards, passed away. Larson drove the #5 Chevrolet to victory at Bristol in a race he dedicated to Edwards. Kevin Harvick was one of the many in the NASCAR world who praised Larson’s gesture, calling it a perfect way to honor someone who made a lasting impact.
Jon Edwards spent 30 years working in NASCAR; he was initially closely tied to Jeff Gordon and later to Larson. Edwards was widely respected across the sport for his professionalism and warmth, and his sudden passing at age 53 caught everyone off guard. At Bristol, the Hendrick team added decals to Larson’s car that read “Jon Edwards, One of a Kind,” making sure his presence was felt on race day.
Kevin Harvick, on his podcast shared his sentiment in relation to the same. He appreciated Larson’s gesture by saying,
“He was a big part of our sport. And there is no better way to honor somebody than the way that you guys did.”
Larson led 411 of 500 laps at Bristol, in what was his second win of 2025. He’s currently fourth in the standings, just one point behind Christopher Bell.
