It may be coming a month and a half late, but Kevin Harvick’s son, Keelan, will finally make his CARS Tour Pro Late Model debut. The long-awaited race is set for Saturday night at Cordele Motor Speedway in Cordele, Georgia.
As the son of a NASCAR Cup Series champion, Keelan knows a thing or two about racing—and with Kevin’s guidance, he might be someone to keep an eye on. But the younger Harvick knows all eyes will be on him and is keeping his confidence in check.
Kevin Harvick’s Son Not Getting Too Ahead of Himself for His Pro Racing Debut
At 12 years old, Keelan is set to make a big debut in the Dale Earnhardt Jr.-co-owned series. He was originally scheduled to debut in March, but that plan got delayed. Speaking with FloRacing before the original race, Keelan showed confidence but wasn’t letting it go to his head.
By then, Keelan had only three starts in full-bodied stock cars—one in Street Stock and two in Limited Late Model races at Florence Motor Speedway.
Since Limited Late Models and Pro Late Models are different beasts, Keelan wasn’t sure what to expect until he got behind the wheel. Still, he was hopeful he could adjust well.
“I’m not really sure how different it will be until I get in it and drive it. I think it will be similar, but different in its own ways. My confidence is definitely up, but you can just never let it get too high or it’ll come crashing right back down.”
Originally, Keelan was supposed to debut at the season opener at New River All-American Speedway in Jacksonville. But he came down with a high fever the morning of the race and had to sit it out.
Before that, he ran well during Friday’s open practice, staying near the top of the charts throughout the day.
Since then, Keelan has gained seat time in the Pro Late Model. He made his first start in the CARS Tour West at Kevin Harvick’s Kern Raceway in Bakersfield.
Now, with more experience than he had a month ago, he’s better prepared for the challenge in Georgia. That’ll matter with tough competition expected—drivers like Casey Roderick are among the 32 entries vying for just 30 starting spots.
Fans can catch Keelan Harvick’s CARS Tour Pro Late Model debut, plus watch Earnhardt and other series regulars live on Saturday, April 12, on FloRacing.