Kevin Harvick was noncommittal on whether or not he would continue racing in the NASCAR Cup Series beyond 2023, telling reporters in Nashville ahead of the NASCAR Awards that he did not have a clear answer on what his racing future looks like. Harvick expects to make a decision on whether he will continue racing or retire by the Daytona 500 in February.
Harvick, who turns 47 next week and is now the longest-tenured driver in the Cup Series, is set to enter the final year of a contract with Stewart-Haas Racing that was extended in February of 2020. In October, Jenna Fryer of the Associated Press reported that team co-owner Gene Haas shared that Harvick has indicated he does not want to continue past his current contract.
Kevin Harvick says that he doesn't have a clear answer right now on whether he'll continue racing in Cup beyond 2023.
— Steven Taranto (@STaranto92) December 1, 2022
Says he'll probably reach a decision before Daytona. Could go either way right now. pic.twitter.com/1jm8AHaeFy
"I think right now, I'll know that answer before we get to Daytona. I don't really have a clear answer on that right now," Harvick said. "I think as we get to Daytona, I know 100% that we'll have a direction, because I'm not gonna start the season without knowing that direction. Just because of the fact that there's just a lot of layers to unfold and really go through and evaluate. So we'll see. I think it could go either way at this particular point."
Harvick echoed his original comments later in his media availability, talking about the process of making a decision on his future while also committing to a timetable of reaching a decision before Speedweeks at Daytona begin next February. The upcoming season will be Harvick's 23rd as a full-time Cup Series driver, a position he has held since he was hurriedly named the replacement driver for the late Dale Earnhardt's team early in the 2001 season.
"We're at a point where everybody needs to know what's going on. There's too many tentacles to everything that happens," Harvick said. "Whether it's race team, driver, management company, every element of it needs to know. And it's not fair to anybody to have to start the season not knowing. That's important to all aspects of it."
Harvick hasn't lost his touch behind the wheel in his late forties, as he is coming off of a 2022 season that saw him win two races and make the playoffs. Harvick was eliminated in the first round of the playoffs and finished the year with nine top fives and 17 top 10s, his fewest in both categories since 2013 and 2012 respectively.
Harvick, the 2014 Cup Series champion, currently sits in a tie for ninth on NASCAR's all-time wins list with 60 career victories.
