Kevin Harvick committed to SHR in wake of 2017 Ford move
Kevin Harvick doesn’t appear to be looking for a new team after his current team said it was switching manufacturers.
Stewart-Haas Racing announced Wednesday that it was moving from Chevrolet to Ford in 2017. Harvick has driven Chevys his entire Sprint Cup Series career with Richard Childress Racing and SHR. He said Friday that it would be “foolish” to not be committed to SHR.
“I got a great team, I’ve got great people, I’ve got a great organization that’s wanting to win races,” Harvick said while walking between the Xfinity and Sprint Cup garages Friday morning at Atlanta Motor Speedway. “To not be committed to them would be foolish on my part to be in the best position I’ve ever been in as a driver.”
Harvick’s original SHR deal was believed to be three years with options. So 2016 would be the expiration of that third season, hence questions about his contract status.
“My contract, I haven’t even looked at,” he said. “I haven’t even asked. I just assumed that it was all sealed up and done. So I assume so.”
Harvick won his first Sprint Cup Series championship in 2014, his first season with Stewart-Haas Racing. While he won two fewer races in 2015, he was even better overall. He had more top fives and top-10 finishes, though he finished second to Kyle Busch in the Chase.
And while Harvick said he’s committed to SHR, the question has to be asked … where would he go if he didn’t stay at SHR? If staying with Chevy is such a big deal, the only team that would be a fit would be Hendrick Motorsports, the team that SHR currently is technically aligned with.
And Hendrick has all four seats filled. There’s no room for Harvick. He’s not going to go back to RCR, and Joe Gibbs Racing not only fields Toyotas, but it’s full too.
Harvick said Friday he wants to win. That desire should trump any manufacturer loyalty, no matter what hardcore Chevrolet fans would like to think. The desire to win should keep him at Stewart-Haas, which will likely continue to be a formidable team in 2017 and beyond.
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Nick Bromberg is the editor of From The Marbles on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter!
