“You Never Know”: Kevin Harvick in Disbelief by Son Keelan’s Caliber as He Gets First Hand Taste on Home Turf

There’s something primal and magical about the roar of engines when blood races blood, a rare moment in motorsports where family ties meet the fierce competition of the track. On March 26, 2025, at Millbridge Speedway in Salisbury, North Carolina, Kyle Busch and his nine-year-old son Brexton squared off in a sprint car showdown dubbed the “Battle of the Buschs.”

Kyle, a two-time NASCAR Cup Series champion with 63 career wins, found himself up against his rising-star son, who’s already making waves in dirt racing. In their first-ever head-to-head race, Kyle edged out Brexton to take the victory, a moment that had fans buzzing with pride and excitement for the Busch family legacy. The race wasn’t just a father-son duel—it was a glimpse into the future of racing. Brexton, who started racing at the tender age of five, has been tearing up the junior sprint ranks. And his performance against his dad showed he’s got the same fire that’s made Kyle a legend.

That father-son showdown set the stage for another family racing moment just a few months later, this time involving NASCAR icon Kevin Harvick and his 12-year-old son, Keelan. On June 1, at Kern Raceway in Bakersfield, California, the Harvicks went head-to-head in a Pro Late Model race that left Harvick in awe of his son’s talent.

Kevin Harvick marvels at Keelan’s special win

Kevin Harvick got a front-row seat to his son Keelan’s rising star power during a CARS Tour West Pro Late Model race at the track he owns. Reflecting on the race during his Happy Hour show, Kevin broke it down: “Keelan got the pole. I won the first half and was racing for the win in the second half and got turned around, nothing on purpose, but ultimately it looked like it might have been on purpose, but if you pay attention closely, this was the three of us, racing for the lead.”

The race’s unique format—two 75-lap segments totaling 150 laps—saw the field line up for the second segment based on their second lap in qualifying, putting Keelan on pole and Kevin in second despite Kevin’s win in the first half. Kevin took the lead on the restart, but Buddy Shepherd overtook him off turn four, holding the lead for the next 68 laps with Kevin hot on his bumper, looking like he had the car to beat.

Kevin described the chaotic finish: “This is like 5 to go and I took lead as the two of them got tangled up and the three of us raced like crazy in the end. Little right rear contact right there. And then Jake decides to drive it in and give it a whirl and bottoms out and gets loose and wiped the three of us out and the 4th place spun out and here comes the little man cruising right through the wreck and Keelan wound up with the lead right there and wound up going on to win the race.”

The mayhem unfolded as Jacob Gomes, running third, caught the leaders and took the lead with six laps to go, passing Shepherd on the outside in Turns 3 and 4. Shepherd fought back, diving inside in Turn 2 and drifting up, running both himself and Gomes wide, which allowed Kevin to make a daring three-wide pass on the backstretch. But with five laps left, Gomes slid up into Kevin’s left-rear in Turn 1, sending them spinning along with Shepherd, while fourth-place Jace Hale spun to avoid the wreck, leaving Keelan, who was fifth at the time, to cruise through the chaos and take the lead, ultimately securing the win.

Kevin Harvick’s disbelief came through when he said, “I don’t know that anybody really expected that but the way that it worked out you just never know. You just have to keep yourself rolling in contention. And as I tell him, in order to finish first you must, you must first finish.”

Kevin Harvick congratulates his son, @KeelanHarvick, on the win! pic.twitter.com/qELiKGbvki

— NASCAR Regional (@NASCARRegional) June 1, 2025

Keelan’s win at Kern Raceway, a half-mile paved oval in Kevin’s hometown of Bakersfield, California, known for its thrilling short-track racing since opening in 2013, was his second of the year in a full-bodied Late Model. He’d previously won in a Limited Late Model at Florence Motor Speedway in South Carolina in February, and his 2025 season has been strong, with a pole in his CARS Tour debut at Cordele Motor Speedway in April. Along with a third-place finish in the Pro Late Model field at North Wilkesboro Speedway in May. The local crowd roared as Keelan crossed the finish line, a hometown victory that felt extra special for the Harvicks.

The moment was so big that Keelan was set to join his dad on Happy Hour that week, with Kevin sharing, “He’s going to come on and we’re going to do the interview together this week for Thursday. It’s an awesome moment for the Harvick family, right?” Host Kaitlyn Vincie said.

Kevin agreed, noting, “To be on the racetrack while he, I mean it’s not his first late model win but it’s the first in this class, the pro late model class which is in my hometown, everybody there is to watch the race and to be competitive and he qualified on pole and wound up winning the main portion of the race right there.” It was a day that showed Keelan’s potential at just 12 years old, leaving Kevin in awe of how quickly his son is growing into a racer who can hold his own against the best.

Kevin Harvick’s advice to young drivers echoes lessons from the track

While the Harvick family celebrated Keelan’s big win, the former SHR driver also turned his attention to another young driver making headlines that same weekend at Nashville Superspeedway on June 1, 2025. Carson Hocevar, a 22-year-old Cup Series rookie, found himself in hot water after an incident with veteran Ricky Stenhouse Jr. during the Cracker Barrel 400.

Hocevar, running 18th, stayed straight into Turn 3 instead of dipping low, making contact with Stenhouse, who was in 17th, and sending him into the outside wall. The crash dropped Stenhouse to a last-place finish, costing him valuable points and dropping him to 18th in the standings, just four points out of the playoff cut-off, while Hocevar sits in 17th.

Stenhouse didn’t hold back in his post-race interview, saying, “A lap or two before, he tried to dive in there from about 10 car lengths back and then that time, I just opened my entry a little bit and he over-charged the corner and drilled us in the rear bumper.” Kevin Harvick, watching from his role as a broadcaster, offered some fatherly advice to Hocevar, emphasizing the importance of learning from mistakes.

“You’re going to make mistakes, but you’ve got to own them,” Harvick said, drawing from his 23-year career where he won 60 Cup Series races. He urged Hocevar to focus on consistency and respect on the track, noting that young drivers often push too hard early in their careers but need to balance aggression with smart decision-making.

Harvick also encouraged Hocevar to reach out to Stenhouse directly to clear the air, suggesting a face-to-face conversation to build respect. “Well, he has to. You’ve got to manage that stuff because it is aggravating when they see a guy running over people week after, week after week. Like I said, he’s after than everybody and that in itself is aggravating for the garage.”

It was a busy week for Kevin Harvick, having experienced the wholesome moment at Kern Motor Speedway and then discussing the Nashville race on his show. It remains to be seen if Hocevar pays any attention to Harvick’s words or if he chooses to ride like a loose cannon in his next race.

The post “You Never Know”: Kevin Harvick in Disbelief by Son Keelan’s Caliber as He Gets First Hand Taste on Home Turf appeared first on EssentiallySports.