Kevin Harvick predicts winner for Kansas NASCAR race

Kansas Speedway will serve as the cathedral for the NASCAR Cup Series this weekend. After New Hampshire got the Round of 12 underway, the spotlight now shifts to the famed intermediate track for the Hollywood Casino 400.

On Kevin Harvick’s Happy Hour, the crew locked in their predictions, and the Hall of Famer is confident about one driver in particular. Kevin Harvick is rolling with Kyle Larson to snap his recent cold spell and return to Victory Lane.

The Hendrick Motorsports star looked sharp at New Hampshire, spending most of the afternoon inside the top 10 before settling for yet another steady finish. While Larson hasn’t quite broken through during this stretch of the season, his speed and consistency have kept him solidly positioned in the playoff standings. Harvick sees that as a sign that the breakthrough is coming.

Kansas has been a good track for Larson in the past, and his aggressive style fits the mile-and-a-half layout perfectly. He has led plenty of laps here and already claimed a victory at Kansas earlier this season. With his playoff fate still hanging in the balance, he’ll look to rekindle that form, and Harvick believes it’s enough to get the job done.

Not everyone on the panel is on the same page, though. Mamba Smith is eyeing a different Hendrick driver to get it done — William Byron. Smith believes the No. 24 Chevrolet will be the car to punch its ticket to the Round of 8.

Byron delivered a strong showing at New Hampshire, running inside the top 10 for most of the race before crossing the line in third. That finish kept his confidence high and showed once again that he’s capable of stringing together consistent results under playoff pressure.

Kansas has been kind to Byron in recent seasons as well. He finished runner-up there last year and matched that effort earlier this season. After back-to-back podiums, Byron will be looking to take the next step and finally capture a Kansas win. Smith thinks this weekend could be the moment.

Kaitlyn Vincie rounded out the panel by siding with Joe Gibbs Racing. Her pick: Christopher Bell. The No. 20 Toyota driver came home sixth at New Hampshire, another top-10 that kept him comfortable in the playoff hunt.

Bell has yet to score a win at Kansas, but he’s been close. He finished second there earlier this season and will return with hopes of finishing the job this time around.

Larson, Byron, and Bell are the picks from Kevin Harvick’s Happy Hour. Now the Round of 12 continues at Kansas Speedway, where one driver has a chance to seize momentum—and secure a spot in the Round of 8.