“Nobody knows anything about the car”: When Kevin Harvick made his ‘unfortunate’ feelings known after NASCAR introduced CoT changes

It’s difficult to come across a NASCAR fan who doesn’t know who Kevin Harvick is. A former Cup Series champion, a race team owner, a late-model racing series owner, and above all, a dad; the 48-year-old Bakersfield native is one of the most respected personalities the sport has ever known. However, there was a time when Harvick was a ruthless competitor, an outspoken opponent, and, as per ESPN, “NASCAR’s punk kid.”

When NASCAR brought about the Car of Tomorrow, also known as the CoT, back in 2007, Harvick said that nobody had any idea about the newly formulated vehicle. Although the drivers would get used to it with time, he explained, the transition would be slow because the teams never had a say.

"It's the same process. It's no different. We already went through this. With the CoT and whenever NASCAR has started changing rules," Kevin Harvick said (as quoted by ESPN’s Ryan McGee). "In the very beginning nobody knows anything about the car, and once everybody figures out the car, things change. The style of racing changes. It always does. It always will.”

“So, yeah, I think communication is there, but I think the process is as slow as it's ever been, unfortunately, to be able to make changes because of how much red tape there is to jump through because the teams aren't in charge of the cars,” he added.

After 17 years of racing and over 800 Cup starts later, Harvick is no longer the same “punk” kid. He won 60 races throughout his career, which ranks 10th of all time.

Harvick is now a respected man enshrined in the prestigious West Coast Stock Car Hall of Fame. Last year, NASCAR named him one of its 75 Greatest Drivers, an honor shared by legendary drivers like Bobby Allison, Buddy Baker, Neil Bonnett, and Dale Earnhardt.

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“Don’t add more races to the schedule”-Kevin Harvick sends a clear message to NASCAR amid confusing Truck Series rule

The NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series has come up with a new cost-cutting strategy that did not resonate well with Kevin Harvick. As per a report by Matt Weaver of the Sportsnaut, the Truck Series teams will be required to make matching uniforms for all behind-the-wall pit crew members.

Furthermore, none of those uniforms should have any sponsorship branding. Harvick shared Weaver’s story about the same on X (formerly known as Twitter) with the following caption:

“What in the world is happening….”

While NASCAR felt that this measure would help save money and ensure safety, Harvick knew that if NASCAR were to cut costs at all, they would have to stop adding more races to their schedule.

“Is there anything in the short term that can truly help the truck teams save money?” a fan commented on Harvick’s post.

Harvick replied,

“First don’t add more races to the schedule…”

Notably, the 2025 season will have 25 races, two more than last year. One will be a series-first showdown at Lime Rock Park, and the other is expected to roll out at Rockingham Speedway in April.