NASCAR legend Kevin Harvick made an appearance at the Carolina Panthers’ home game in Charlotte on Sunday afternoon, bringing along his son, Keelan Harvick. The NFL Week 15 matchup between the Panthers and the Dallas Cowboys took a backseat to a heartwarming moment on the sidelines. Keelan, who is already carving out his path in racing, shared a spontaneous handshake with Panthers safety Sam Franklin Jr., a moment that quickly gained traction on social media.
At just 12 years old, Keelan is following in his father’s footsteps, embarking on a promising racing career. In 2024, he made his debut in Limited Late Models, driving the No. 62 Hunt Brothers Pizza Chevrolet. He delivered an impressive eighth-place finish in a challenging 96-lap feature race at Florence Motor Speedway.
Reflecting on his debut, Keelan said:
“I feel great. I can’t thank the KHI team enough for all the effort they put in. It’s amazing to get my first race under my belt, and I’m already looking forward to the next one. I think I did pretty well. Of course, as a driver, you always want more, but this was a solid start. I probably saved too much during the race and could have been more aggressive, but those are lessons I’ll take into the next race.”
Keelan also expressed gratitude for his sponsors, including Hunt Brothers Pizza and Realtree, saying, “I couldn’t do this without their support. I’m aiming for a win next year.”
Kevin Harvick, ever the proud father, spoke highly of his son’s performance:
“We really threw Keelan into the deep end. I didn’t plan for him to enter one of the biggest Limited Late Model races of the year, but it worked out. He faced a highly competitive field, and his race craft impressed me. He did a fantastic job in the car.”
Looking ahead, Kevin shared their plans for 2024:
“Friday confirmed what we’d already planned. Keelan will likely compete in 25-30 Late Model races next year. Now it’s about focusing on the finer details—those last few tenths of a second, learning when and how to push, mastering qualifying, and refining his restarts.
“The important thing is that he now knows he can do it.
