NASCAR legend Kevin Harvick has reacted to being added to the 2027 Hall of Fame ballot over the weekend.
The 2014 Cup Series champion won 60 races over the course of a 23-year career at the highest level of the sport, also racking up 47 O’Reilly Series (then Busch Series) wins and a pair of championships while still running full-time in the Cup.
Harvick looks a lock to be elected to the Hall at the first time of asking, with voters set to enshrine two of the ten nominees from the Modern Era ballot and one of five from the Pioneer Era.
Speaking on his new show Speed with Will Buxton, the racer-turned-analyst admitted: “I would say that one brought a tear to my eye.”
He continued: “You put so much effort into everything that you do with your craft. You want to be the best at it. To be able to have the success. … It was my job for 23 years.
“Now, I sit here on this side of the camera being able to talk about the sport that I love. You put your whole life into something and to be able to reap the rewards of all the effort that you put into it is pretty special.”
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NASCAR Hall of Fame 2027 Nominees
Modern Era Ballot
| Name | Achievements |
|---|---|
| Greg Biffle | 2000 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series champion; 2002 NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series champion |
| Neil Bonnett | 18-time NASCAR Cup Series race winner; consecutive Coca-Cola 600 victories |
| Tim Brewer | Two-time NASCAR Cup Series championship-winning crew chief |
| Jeff Burton | 21-time NASCAR Cup Series race winner; Southern 500 winner; two-time Coca-Cola 600 winner |
| Randy Dorton | Built engines that won over nine championships across NASCAR’s national series |
| Ray Elder | Six-time ARCA Menards Series West champion |
| Ernie Elliott | 1988 NASCAR Cup Series championship-winning crew chief; wins in two Daytona 500s and two Southern 500s |
| Kevin Harvick | 2014 NASCAR Cup Series champion; 2007 Daytona 500 winner; two-time NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series champion |
| Randy LaJoie | Two-time NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series champion; 1985 NASCAR North Tour champion |
| Jack Sprague | Three-time NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series champion |
Pioneer Era Ballot
| Name | Achievements |
|---|---|
| Ray Fox | 1956 NASCAR Mechanic of the Year; 14-time NASCAR Cup Series race-winning owner, including the Southern 500 |
| Harry Hyde | 1970 NASCAR Cup Series championship-winning crew chief |
| Banjo Matthews | Built cars that won more than 250 NASCAR Cup Series races and three championships |
| Herb Nab | Two-time NASCAR Cup Series championship-winning crew chief; third on all-time wins list with 92 |
| Larry Phillips | Five-time NASCAR Weekly Series national champion |
Landmark Award
| Name | Achievements |
|---|---|
| Alvin Hawkins | NASCAR’s first flagman; established NASCAR racing at Bowman Gray Stadium with Bill France Sr. |
| Lesa France Kennedy | NASCAR Executive Vice Chair; one of the most influential women in sports |
| Dr. Joseph Mattioli | Founder of Pocono Raceway |
| Les Richter | Longtime NASCAR executive; oversaw competition and helped grow the sport on the West Coast |
| T. Wayne Robertson | Senior Vice President at R.J. Reynolds and President of Sports Marketing Enterprises; oversaw creation of The Winston |
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