Despite reservations about “Dumbest Thing,” Kevin Harvick is shocked by Chicago’s newfound love for NASCAR

The 2024 Chicago Street Race definitely has its own fan base. Finally, the drama and excitement that unfolded on the track managed to convert those who were once skeptical about the concept of holding a NASCAR race there, given that it is not a traditional race track! Sure, the races were held in the rain, which certainly dampened the mood – literally! But that didn’t stop the drivers from showing their excitement and passion on the track.

NASCAR veteran Kevin Harvick also shared his first impressions of the road course, admitting that it took him a while to really appreciate the idea. When speaking to the co-hosts of Kevin Harvick Happy Hour about his first visit to Chicago in 2023, he mentioned that he was immediately surprised by the dedication and planning that NASCAR put into the race.

Kevin Harvick mentioned how amazed he was by all the colorful banners, bridges and signage that transformed the city into a fascinating racing setting, but what really shocked him was the overwhelming enthusiasm that the people of Chicago showed for the NASCAR event.

In episode 41 of “Kevin Harvick’s Happy Hour,” the 48-year-old mentioned: “I was there last year and I thought, this is the dumbest thing we’ve ever done in my entire life. I went to the street course for the first time last year and I was like, ‘Oh my God, this is really cool.’ Wherever we went last year, everyone knew we were there. Everyone in town was excited about the event.”

The race track itself was certainly a stark contrast to the lukewarm response Harvick has experienced at other venues NASCAR has visited over the years. Drawing comparisons to places like Los Angeles and Vegas, he said the city of Chicago stood out the most, and he was excited by how the city itself had fully embraced stock car racing taking over the streets.

In the debut race, NASCAR introduced new fans to the sport and gave diehard fans a taste of a new style of racing. After some rule changes due to debris in the road course race, it was Shane van Gisbergen who stole the show, chasing Justin Haley and Chase Elliott in a thrilling finish. The New Zealand native and three-time Supercars champion led the final eight laps and outpaced Haley by 1.259 seconds, becoming the first driver to win his Cup debut since Johnny Rutherford did it at Daytona in 1963.

But this year’s race was anything but ordinary. What really changed the game was NASCAR’s mid-race decision to shorten the race from the scheduled 100 laps to just 75. This strategic move put a number of cars that had pitted on lap 43 right into their fuel window. And who took full advantage of this opportunity? None other than Alex Bowman was finally able to end his 80-race winless streak in the NASCAR Cup Series. He survived both the rain and the tough competition to take the win at the Grant Park 165 on the streets of downtown Chicago. It looks like Chicago got lucky after all for SVG and the then winless HMS driver.

Having witnessed the success of this year’s Chicago street race both in person at the track and on television, Harvick is now convinced that NASCAR is capable of more and should explore more urban environments like this one. He hopes they can stick with the street course concept in the future as he believes wholeheartedly that it will open up more opportunities for the sport to reach new markets and fans that it will need in the years to come.

Kevin Harvick creates a new vision for the future of NASCAR in Chicago

While he speaks highly of the Chicago street racing phenomenon, the veteran driver even names a few specific cities that NASCAR could potentially target in the future to rekindle that magic. He mentions cities in the northwest and south to expand NASCAR’s presence, such as Denver and Los Angeles, and believes the sport of stock racing could flourish in those locations despite not traditionally hosting races there. Resuming a street course in LA could be a solution to the lack of permanent race tracks in that region.

In the end, Harvick went from being a fearful of the Chicago street race to being a supporter who saw it as a model for NASCAR’s potential in execution and marketing strategy. The former skeptic now believes strongly in the power of bringing stock cars to the heart of Chicago and knows it can help the sport grow in new and exciting ways.

But would you agree with Harvick: Should NASCAR focus more on street courses?