NASCAR driver Kevin Harvick, the 2014 NASCAR premier series champion, announced last month that his role as part of the FOX NASCAR broadcast team will increase in 2017, with the pilot of the No. 4 Stewart-Haas Ford Fusion serving as a full-race race analyst for eight FOX NASCAR events, beginning with the NASCAR XFINITY Series opener from Daytona International Speedway on Saturday, Feb. 25, on FS1.
FOX Sports President, COO and Executive Producer Eric Shanks believes Harvick is a great fit for the FOX NASCAR team, knowing almost immediately he had a knack for offering insight from a newfound perspective: “In his first few minutes in the FOX NASCAR booth at Daytona in 2015, Kevin quickly proved himself a natural as an analyst. He offers thought-provoking analysis each time he speaks, and does so in a concise and entertaining manner. We are thrilled to have him back this season for an expanded schedule of races.”
Harvick, winner of the 2007 Daytona 500, will line up for another run in the iconic Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series season opener on Sunday, Feb. 26 (1 p.m. ET), on FOX.
FOX Sports recently asked Harvick about calling races and more:
FOX Sports: You’ve been in the booth for FOX Sports before. What’s behind the decision to increase the commitment in 2017?
Harvick: I really enjoy calling races. I enjoy the perspective of sitting up there and trying to figure out what’s going on. I also want to be a part of watching these young guys come up through the NASCAR Camping World Truck and XFINITY Series and have the experience of having been in the booth when they raced because, ultimately, it’s something I want to do down the road when I’m done driving.
FOX Sports: You only did one race in 2016 – the NASCAR XFINITY Series race from Daytona at the beginning of the season. Did that whet your appetite to do more television?
Harvick: One wasn’t enough, and I think we’ll do several “NASCAR Race Hub” shows this year as well, so it will be fun to express my opinion from the booth and from the studio.
FOX Sports: As a former NASCAR Camping World Truck Series team owner, you’ll be in the booth for some truck races in 2017. Is there still a connection for you to that series?
Harvick: I just like truck racing in general. It’s fun to see these guys coming up, usually out of Late Model Stock Car East or West Series. You get that raw experience from the Truck Series and they get to go to some cool race tracks.
For a complete guide to the 59th running of the Daytona 500 on FOX and all of the FOX Sports racing and programming supporting the “Great American Race,” please visit FOX Sports Press Pass.
