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Kevin Harvick Inc. returning to full-time Late Model competition
Michael C. Johnson-USA TODAY Sports

This week, Kevin Harvick made an exciting announcement. His KHI Racing team is going racing full-time in 2024 with four teams. The next exciting venture for Harvick in his NASCAR retirement.

KHI Racing is set to field two teams each in Late Model Stock and Super Late Models. In the CARS Tour, Brent Crews is going to be full-time in the No. 28 Late Model Stock car. He will drive a Toyota Camry sponsored by Mobil 1 as he races for a championship in 2024.

Crews is just 15 years old and just won the Trans Am Series TA2 championship. He’s the youngest champion and winner in that series. He also won from the pole in his second-ever ARCA start last season.

In the No. 62 Late Model, Kevin Harvick has an all-star group. Josh Berry, Layne Riggs, William Sawalich, and Landen Lewis are all set to take the wheel in select races.

Meanwhile, Ryan Preece, Sawalich, Berry, and Lewis will drive the No. 62 and No. 29 cars in select Super Late Model races.

This is a great setup for Kevin Harvick Inc. and its grassroots programs. It puts veteran drivers and young drivers together. With Brent Crews and Landen Lewis, KHI Racing has two of the most talented young prospects in stock car racing.

By the way, The Closer plans on racing in these cars as well. Because, duh! Harvick claims that he will hit the track in June this year.

We don’t know what race that will be, but we will get to watch Harvick race a Late Model or Super Late Model at some point this year.

Kevin Harvick gets into grassroots, iRacing

In his post-racing career, Kevin Harvick is already making waves. He is going to be a broadcaster for FOX races this year. His debut at the Busch Light Clash was excellent and informative, and he and Clint Bowyer are great together.

When Harvick retired, he was asked what he planned on doing next, and he immediately pointed to the grassroots racing and said, that. He is already an owner of the CARS Tour. He will help see the West Series expansion at Kevin Harvick’s Kern Raceway and other tracks.

So, having these teams in Late Model Stock and Super Late Model action is great. It is an investment in the future of the sport. If Ron Hornaday and others hadn’t taken a chance on Harvick, would he have become The Closer? Now, it is his turn to help mold the next generation.

What I also really like about KHI Racing is the fact they are in iRacing now, too. I’m sure people will be very mad about this, but iRacing can be seen as “grassroots” as well. It allows people interested in the sport to test their skills. iRacing skill has translated to real cars for many drivers, most notably William Byron and Rajah Caruth.

Not to mention, compared to a real car, an iRacing setup is relatively inexpensive. The barrier for entry is lower, and we are going to see more sim drivers in the future. Plain and simple.

Kevin Harvick Inc. is getting in on the ground floor. Both old and new ways of doing it.

This article first appeared on 5 GOATs and was syndicated with permission.

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