Kevin Harvick predicts HMS’ driver as favorite to win the 2025 Circuit of the Americas NASCAR Cup Series race

The 2014 NASCAR Cup Series champion Kevin Harvick has shared his insights and predicted the winner for the upcoming EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix, which is set to take place this weekend. He’s going with a Hendrick Motorsports driver to win Sunday’s EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix at Circuit of the Americas.

On the recent episode of the “Happy Hour” podcast, former NASCAR driver-turned-commentator Kevin Harvick and his co-hosts, Kaitlyn Vincie and Mamba Smith, picked the driver they believe would have the upper hand to win the road course race at COTA on Sunday, March 2.

According to NASCAR legend, William Byron is going to win at the COTA. Byron is the defending winner of the event. Harvick believes that the #24 has done well at road courses and can claim back-to-back titles.

Giving his winner prediction for the 2025 EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix winner, here’s what Harvick said:

“I’m going to take William Byron. I think that he just notoriously has the early season mojo to get into victory lane. Has done well on the road courses. So I'm going to go #24.” [1:01:11]

Kevin Harvick’s co-host, Kaitlyn Vincie, named road course ringer Shane van Gisbergen to win his second career Cup victory.

‘I'm picking SVG. And I had mentioned that the bold predictions—he's laughing at me, bold predictions that I thought he was going to win multiple cup races—but I think he could be one of the guys this weekend.

Meanwhile, co-host Mamba Smith picked NASCAR’s top prospect Connor Zilisch to win on his Cup Series debut this weekend.

“I'm going with the kid. Give me Connor Zilisch Red Bull back Connor Zilisch first cup race. I was thinking about it while I was sitting there. He's already won at the top, at the high level. He knows what he's doing.”

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How has Kevin Harvick’s top pick performed at the Circuit of the Americas?

William Byron has a good track record at the Circuit of the Americas with a win, two top-five finishes, and two top-15 finishes with an average finish of six in four races. Overall, the #24 driver has won twice on road courses.

William Byron has already won the season-opener Daytona 500 and finished P27 in the recently concluded Atlanta race. He is the favorite in the odds table to win the second race of the season.

It will be interesting to see how Kevin Harvick and his co-hosts' picks fare at Circuit of the Americas. Watch the season’s first road course race on FOX at 3:30 pm ET.