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Kevin Harvick Names 1 Driver He Wishes He Could've Raced

Originally posted on The Spun | By Tzvi Machlin | Last updated Mar 26, 2025 1:29 PM ET

Over a racing career spanning several decades, Kevin Harvick got to compete against many of the greatest drivers of the 21st century. But there's one driver he regrets never getting a chance to face.

On the latest episode of his Happy Hour podcast, Harvick admitted that he wishes he could have raced against the late-great Dale Earnhardt Sr. He said that he even joined Richard Childress Racing back in 1999 in hopes of one day getting a chance to face him.

“I went to RCR to race with the Big E — with Dale Sr. And that was the final piece to the puzzle that made my decision to go to RCR,” Harvick said. “I had a few different things that were happening at that point and ultimately, I wanted to be on the same team as Dale Earnhardt. So, I went to RCR, and everybody knows the story of the way that worked out. Never actually got to race against Dale. To me, that was one of the pieces to the puzzle that I never got to have play out.”

In a cruel twist of fate, Earnhardt's tragic death at the 2001 Daytona 500 wound up propelling Harvick to NASCAR fame sooner than expected.

Following Earnhardt's passing, Harvick was called upon to take The Intimidator's seat with RCR.

AVONDALE, ARIZONA - MARCH 08: Kevin Harvick, driver of the #4 Jimmy John's Freaky Fast Rewards Ford, holds his daughter Piper alongside DeLana Harvick before the NASCAR Cup Series FanShield 500 at Phoenix Raceway on March 08, 2020 in Avondale, Arizona. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)

Harvick would do Earnhardt proud, continuing to race with RCR for the next 13 years. During his time at RCR he would go on to win the 2007 Daytona 500, the 2011 Coca-Cola 600, the 2003 Brickyard 400 and many other races.

His greatest success would come in 2014 with Stewart-Haas Racing, winning his first and only NASCAR Cup title that year.

This article first appeared on The Spun and was syndicated with permission.

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