Kevin Harvick explains why NASCAR teams are more inconsistent with Next Gen cars

Kevin Harvick took a shot at explaining why NASCAR teams are more inconsistent with the Next Gen car than the cars of years past.

Just a couple of years ago, teams had their set-ups figured out in such a way that the same drivers, week-in and week-out, would run up front. With the Next Gen car, parity has been returned to the sport, and it feels like anyone can win at any track.

Harvick spoke with FOX’s Bob Pockrass ahead of this weekend’s race at the Charlotte Roval, where he explained why the car has become so inconsistent.

“With this particular car, every car in the field has been in somewhat of a position like that where they just have weekends where you miss it,” Harvick said. “We had this exact conversation at the beginning of last year — there’s just going to be some weekends where you just totally miss it and look like a complete buffoon.

“That’s what we did [at Bristol]. Two weeks before that [at Darlington], we were the best car.”

Kevin Harvick was one of those drivers that dominated in the old car, but he’s still acclimated well to the Next Gen, even if he’ll be retiring at the end of the season. Regardless, his thought-process on the matter is sound, and he certainly can back it up with results, looking back at the last two seasons.

Kevin Harvick explains his goals for the final five races of the season

Meanwhile, there are only five races remaining in the 2023 NASCAR Cup Series season, which also means there are only five races left in Kevin Harvick’s career.

Of course, Harvick could run some one-offs in the future, but his time as a full-time driver will come to an end in a little more than a month. As the laps wind down, Harvick spoke with FOX’s Bob Pockrass, where he explained his goals for the remainder of the season. 

“There’s way more to it than just winning and losing,” Harvick said. “It’s the most interesting thing I’ve ever been a part of because there’s so much more to it. And it would take me hours to sit here and explain it to everybody. 

“Everything that comes with the whole picture this year is much more complex than a win or a loss — in how you represent yourself and the things that you say, and the things that you do, and all that goes with it.”

Alas, it’s more than simply getting to Victory Lane for Harvick. As some have put it, he essentially wins each week, as there’s a heightened focus on him throughout the race week-in and week-out.

Fans will certainly want to see Kevin Harvick get a checkered flag before it’s all said and done, but what the former champion has done for the sport in the past will never fade away. NASCAR faithful will be rooting hard for “Happy Harvick” over the next month and change, before he officially retires.