Kevin Harvick Eyes a Return to ‘One of the Best’ Races in the Northwest

During his 23-year full-time NASCAR career, the now-NASCAR analyst appeared in four races at the Evergreen Speedway across the Craftsman Truck and the former Winston West Series. On the weekly "Kevin Harvick's Happy Hour" podcast, he relived those memories while admiring the hardcore racing culture in the Northwest. 

"I mean, that's the thing that a lot of people don't realize—how many hardcore race fans are in the Northwest," Harvick said. "I've raced up there a few times, but going back there and not having a Truck race there since 1999... they have West races up there, it's just... It's just not the same.

"I had forgotten how many race fans actually live in the Northwest and how much they love racing. When you see the competitors, we had 37 cars that came into the pits. We didn't start many for the race; they had some engine issues, crashes, and other problems throughout the couple of days.

"Tons of merch—Cup merchandise—from the 29 car to the four car, and just a great all-around event."

Featuring a capacity crowd of 7,000 people, the Northwestern event turned out to be a massive hit with sold-out promotions and race sponsorships. Noting this, the Series co-owner revealed that he's planning to schedule more CARS Tour races at the track. 

"We will be going back," he added. "And I think when you see something that is that successful, and you realize a section of the country that is starving for more, just off of that pure excitement for the sport—I mean, it instantly energizes you to want to go back and do it again.

"So it was one of the best short track events that I've been a part of, and I'm glad it worked out that way."

Being one of the best short-track series, the CARS Tour is getting a lot done for the West Coast stock car racing. However, if the father-son rivalry feature in more races here, it will surely excite the fans even more in the region.