Harrisburg, N.C. (February 11, 2025) – Twelve years in the making, the stage is set for Kevin and Keelan Harvick to compete against each other for the first time on May 31 at Kevin Harvick’s Kern Raceway in Bakersfield, Calif. The duo will compete in Pro Late Model competition, and it’s not just about the win, it’s for bragging rights in the Harvick household.
While competing against the younger Harvick has been on Kevin’s mind since his now 12-year-old son started racing, the stars aligned perfectly to make the first outing for the duo special.
“Racing Keelan in my hometown for the first time is a pretty cool dad moment,” Kevin Harvick said. “Bakersfield has meant so much in the progression of my racing career, and being able to tie that together with the beginning of Keelan’s racing career is pretty special.”
A native of Bakersfield, Kevin will return to his hometown to race at the track that bears his name and pilot the No. 29 Hunt Brothers® Pizza late model, a number that is significant and synonymous with the NASCAR champion’s storied career.
The younger Harvick, fresh off his first Limited Late Model win in the Icebreaker at Florence Motor Speedway this past weekend, will climb behind the wheel of the No. 62 Hunt Brothers Pizza late model, a number he has run his entire young career and one with family ties three generations deep to his grandfather John Paul Linville, DeLana Harvick’s father.
To say the weekend will be special for the Harvick family is an understatement.
“My dad has helped me so much in my short racing career,” Keelan Harvick said. “Being able to race against him for the first time is pretty cool, and it’s something we’ve talked about for a long time. I hope I come out on top, because if not, he won’t stop bragging about it.”
With a career spanning more than three decades, Kevin transitioned to not just racer, but to the role of racing dad when Keelan made his debut in 2020. Since then, Kevin has retired from full-time NASCAR competition, and Keelan has raced around the world and begun forging his own path with multiple championships from go-karts to Legend Cars. Now the duo finds itself in a position to compete against each other as Keelan begins his transition to full body stock cars, while Kevin is along to guide, mentor and show the younger Harvick how it’s done on the track. The family bond, and natural rivalry, run deep.
For the historical moment, longtime partner Hunt Brothers Pizza will join the pair as primary partner on both Harvick cars. A family-owned business, Hunt Brothers Pizza started with Kevin early in his career at Kevin Harvick Inc. (KHI) and watched him grow into a NASCAR champion and father.
As Kevin’s career progressed and Keelan began racing, Hunt Brothers Pizza was one of the first partners to join Keelan. Remaining a staple with the Harvicks, Hunt Brothers Pizza has been a part of multiple milestones with the Harvick family, and this one will be no different.
“It’s humbling to be part of this special race, the Harvick family is an important part of the Hunt Brothers Pizza family,” said Scott Hunt, CEO Hunt Brothers Pizza. “Sponsoring Kevin over the past 16 years has been an incredible journey, and now supporting the next generation with Keelan is a lot of fun. While my grandson, Carson will be cheering for his buddy Keelan, I’m hoping for a safe and competitive race with a Hunt Brothers Pizza car in victory lane.”
The Battle of the Harvicks kicks off May 31 at Kevin Harvick’s Kern Raceway, but fans will have multiple opportunities to see the duo compete against each other throughout 2025. Stay tuned to Kevin and Keelan’s social media channels as more races are announced and to see who earns the bragging rights in the Harvick household.
About Hunt Brothers Pizza:
With more than 10,000 locations across the country, Hunt Brothers® Pizza is the nation’s largest brand of made-to-order pizza in the convenience store industry.
Hunt Brothers Pizza offers original and thin crust pizzas available as a grab-and-go Hunk A Pizza®, perfect for today’s on-the-go lifestyle, or as a customizable whole pizza that is an exceptional value with All Toppings No Extra Charge®.
Hunt Brothers Pizza is family-owned and operated.
About Kevin Harvick Inc.:
Established in 2001 by NASCAR Cup Series champion Kevin Harvick and his wife DeLana, Kevin Harvick Inc. (KHI) competed in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, Truck Series and ARCA Series through the 2011 NASCAR season.
During that time, KHI earned 10 Xfinity Series wins, 45 Truck Series wins and three Truck Series championships, including two championships with NASCAR Hall of Famer Ron Hornaday, Jr.
Following the 2011 season, KHI stepped away from full-time competition until its return in 2023.
Source: Kevin Harvick Inc.
