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Kevin Harvick before practice and qualifying at North Wilkesboro: ‘Well figure it out’

Originally posted on 5 GOATs | By Jonathan Howard | Last updated 5/17/24

Today Kevin Harvick is going to drive the No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports car in place of Kyle Larson at North Wilkesboro. The future NASCAR Hall of Famer is back in the Cup Series, if only briefly.

Tonight, Kevin Harvick will practice the No. 5 car and also qualify it. As part of qualifying, he will be involved in the pit crew challenge. So, he has to be able to get data and information about the car, get that info to the team, and also pit cleanly.

Kyle Larson has one of the best pit crews in the Cup Series. So, it will be up to Harvick to make sure he executes properly.

“I’m not real sure if I know how to do it still but we’re going to find out, unfortunately,” Harvick said jokingly. “So, I hope it goes fine because if it doesn’t go fine, the last thing I want to hear is from Clint Bowyer. That’s really all I’m worried about in this situation. We’re having fun. We got an agenda of things that I can do to try to help Cliff and everybody on the team to get all the information they need for Kyle, but we’ll see how it goes.”

It’s all about hitting the pit box just right. Something he hasn’t had to worry about since November of 2023.

“Well, I think the main thing is today I need to get in the pit box correctly for the pit crew. I need to make sure that I have a good reference between the primary tires and the soft tires so that we know all of the information that the team needs to know. I’m sure it will take me a little bit to get going but we’ll figure it out.”

HE'S BACK. @KevinHarvick checks in with @JoshRSims before practice at North Wilkesboro. pic.twitter.com/yYmoiNNul2
— FOX: NASCAR (@NASCARONFOX) May 17, 2024

Kevin Harvick gearing up for Hendrick Motorsports

So, how about it? Kevin Harvick is a Hendrick Motorsports driver – just for a little bit. He’s got his own firesuit, casual clothes, the hat, and he’s the one driving the car. It’s going to be very fun to see him get back in the car and try to compete.

Drivers will tell you that hopping in a car after taking a long break is difficult. November to now has been half a year. So, Harvick will need to be patient and take care of the car first and foremost. Then he can try to do what he has to do in order to qualify well.

Those pit crew members want this pit crew challenge victory almost as much as an actual race win. It’s a point of pride and something that all of those guys on pit road want on their resume.

Kevin Harvick will not race. Let’s just enjoy seeing him in a car again, even if it s just for a little bit. Larson will likely have to start in the back no matter what, but then again, he went ot the rear of last year’s race early and still almost lapped the entire field.

This article first appeared on 5 GOATs and was syndicated with permission.

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