This week, the NASCAR season gets underway, snow pending, and Kevin Harvick is back to commentate on all things racing. The 2014 Cup Series champion missed a lot over the offseason, so a bit of catching up was in order.
On his podcast “Kevin Harvick’s Happy Hour,” he caught up on the major news stories of the offseason. Among them is Steve Phelps’ resignation as NASCAR commissioner. Good? Bad? Somewhere in between? Whatever your thoughts on Phelps, Harvick does see one thing clearly – NASCAR doesn’t need a commissioner.
Advertisement
Kevin Harvick Doesn’t Want NASCAR to Copy Other Sports, Like Football
Steve Phelps during the NASCAR Cup Series Championship race at Phoenix Raceway.Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
(Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images)
Harvick had kind things to say about Phelps, but he was realistic. The texts about Richard Childress are what ultimately did him in.
“I think we all talk about our friends here and there that you might text some things that you don’t mean, but in the end, (the texts) came out in the court of law, and they became public information,” Harvick explained. “I think Steve has done a lot of great things in our sport, but I don’t think from a fan perspective they can overcome the fact that he said those things about one of the most iconic figures in the sport. And save face.
Advertisement
“Somebody was going to have to take the fall in the end. Whether it was Steve Phelps or Jim France or Steve O’Donnell, whoever it was, and ultimately, it was the commissioner, Steve Phelps. And I mean, do we need a commissioner? I don’t think anybody wants to be like other sports; I don’t think we need a commissioner. I don’t want to hear about football. I don’t want to hear about anybody, we’re racing.”
Related: 50-Year-Old NASCAR Legend Teases Racing Comeback — ‘Why Not?’
NASCAR Previously Said It Wouldn’t Replace Steve Phelps
There has always been a debate about what NASCAR can take away from other sports. Many feel as though racing does too much to be like other sports, while others think that it shows the sport is unwilling to adapt and change to modern times.
Advertisement
President Steve O’Donnell and, of course, the France family, led by Jim France, might be enough leadership for the sport. Not to mention the other executives, the performance and competition department, and others who help make the sport work around the clock.
When it was announced that Phelps was resigning, NASCAR said it wouldn’t be replacing him, at least not immediately. If that sticks long term, Harvick will have his wish. Is there any point in having a commissioner and a president of the sport?
This story was originally published by Athlon Sports on Feb 1, 2026, where it first appeared in the Racing section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
