First Ballot: Kevin Harvick Voted Into NASCAR Hall of Fame

NASCAR Hall of Fame (Charlotte, N.C.) — A driver known as a throwback to the rough-and-tumble days of NASCAR will join many of those who embraced a similar style who already are in the NASCAR Hall of Fame.

Former Cup champion and current FOX Sports analyst Kevin Harvick will be among the three inductees of the 2027 class as the 60-time Cup winner also earned the distinction as a first-ballot Hall of Famer. 

"I've been told a few times in the NASCAR trailer [that] this sport will go on with or without you, so you can either get it straight or you can keep going, and that's true," Harvick told me and other reporters following the announcement.

"Everybody’s career ultimately comes to an end, and the things that you do are what they were, and so to be able to have accomplished enough to be standing here today, I feel pretty fortunate because I had a lot of good people, a lot of good cars, and a lot of great moments to be able to have the success that we did. It's quite an honor to be able to stand in here and have your name next to so many of the greats in our sport." 

Harvick, Jeff Burton and Larry Phillips — all three heralded drivers in their careers —  will be enshrined in the Jan. 22 ceremony, joining the 70 other inductees since the Hall of Fame opened in 2010.

Harvick and Burton, who were teammates at one point at Richard Childress Racing, were the two selections from the 10-candidate Modern Era ballot, while Midwest short-track star Phillips got in as the selection from the five-candidate Pioneer Era ballot.

A voting panel of 49 industry executives, former drivers and crew chiefs and media met Tuesday to deliberate and vote. An online fan vote was combined into one vote, to make for 50 on the panel.

Harvick appeared on 46 of the 50 ballots, Phillips on 19 and Burton was on 16. Neil Bonnett was third in the Modern Era voting, followed by Randy Dorton and Greg Biffle. 

When told he earned 92 percent of the vote, Harvick seemed appreciative.

"When you look at just the grand scheme of everything, you look at the whole Hall of Fame piece of it, and you talk about your reputation, and you talk about the respect, I think that speaks volumes of the things that you were able to accomplish," Harvick said. "And I can say it now: I'm proud of that. That’s what this is for, right? You get to reflect back and be proud of the things that you were able to accomplish."

There was little doubt Harvick — dubbed "The Closer" because of the way he could win races with strong runs to the finish — would get in as his 60 Cup victories ranks 11th all-time and the most for any driver not in the Hall of Fame who is eligible. He also ranks fifth all-time in top-10 finish with 444. 

The 2014 Cup champion, Harvick has also won titles in what is now the O’Reilly Series in 2001 and 2006. He also won the 2007 Daytona 500 and was named one of NASCAR’s 75 greatest drivers.

While virtually a given he would get in, Harvick sat in his truck outside the Hall of Fame during the announcement.

"It’s been really weird," Harvick said about how to handle the announcement. "It felt so arrogant to come sit in the room [for the announcement]. I've never been somebody who wants to pat myself on the back or show that you're so confident in something that you're doing.

"I want to be respectful and I want it to be so that it feels right, and I don't want anybody to think that you take it for granted."

Beyond the on-track statistics, he helped the sport through one of its most high-profile tragedies as he replaced Dale Earnhardt after the seven-time Cup champion’s death in the 2021 Daytona 500.

Harvick was supposed to go full-time Cup racing the following year but instead drove the No. 29 car for Richard Childress Racing, which was renumber from Earnhardt’s No. 3. He won in his third career start at Atlanta.

But Harvick’s resume doesn’t just include victories, championships and a FOX microphone. He and his wife, DeLana, owned the Kevin Harvick Inc. race team that competed in both trucks and the O’Reilly Series. He currently is a co-owner in the CARS Tour and involved in promoting the racetrack in his hometown of Bakersfield.

The California native brought a stern determination built when racing the West Coast short tracks. He was demanding and relentless in the way he drove and the way he interacted with his own team and other teams.

He has often said that when he struggled, he’d have to create drama to stay relevant, and his highlight reel is full of intense confrontations between him and other drivers.

"Your reputation is first thing that you have, the second thing are your results, and ultimately, hopefully, whether I was high strung or competitive or rambunctious, or the guy that everybody didn't like or liked, or whoever it was, hopefully they can still respect you," Harvick said.

"I think from the competition side, from the ownership side, from whatever that is, you might not like my opinion or you might not like what I did on the racetrack, but hopefully in the end you respect it."