Kevin Harvick jokes about keeping Bowyer in check: “I usually just punch him”

2014 NASCAR Cup Series champion Kevin Harvick, now commentating for FOX Sports alongside Clint Bowyer, has opened up on what it's like working with the semi-retired racer in the commentary booth in an interview with The Athletic. 

Harvick hung up his race helmet when the 2023 season came to a close. His career included 60 Cup Series wins, including the 2007 Daytona 500, and a championship win in 2014. After he moved to an analyst position for the Xfinity Series in 2015, it didn't come as a surprise to see the natural talent eventually work his way up to commentating on the Cup Series. 

Working with FOX Sports, he now commentates alongside play-by-play announcer Mike Joy, and former Stewart-Haas Racing teammate Bowyer. This has gone down incredibly well with fans, and he is now a beloved member of the coverage team.

Talking about his relationship with his two colleagues, he said the following:

"They were both open arms when I got here," Harvick said. "They had a rotating seat of [guest analysts], so I can see why that would be frustrating with the flow and being in the routine of how things go. To bring somebody new in most every week would be hard, not only for them, but for the guys in the [production] truck to be able to get the flow and understand when somebody is frustrated or mad."

Kevin Harvick, Stewart Haas Racing, GEARWRENCH Ford Mustang

Photo by: Gavin Baker / NKP / Motorsport Images

On discussing their chemistry, he admits that Mike is a "referee" in this equation.

"Clint and I look at it from two different worlds, and what we see on the racetrack is drastically different. Mike's a little bit of the referee in that scenario. But I think that's part of what makes it good because I don't get offended by his difference in his perspective compared to my perspective. Mine's usually right," he joked.

He continued as the media outlet asked if he rolls his eyes at Bowyer.

"I usually punch him. I don't roll my eyes. I usually just punch him in the shoulder or grab him around the neck."

The pair were team-mates from 2017 through 2020, but they've been friends since 2004 when Bowyer was working in the fabrication shop for Richard Childress Racing. 

"Clint and I have - We’ve drunk a lot of beer together. And had a lot of fun together. And been a lot of places together.” Harvick said in 2018. "We’re like brothers. At RCR, we’d argue, fight. Go drink beer and have a good time. Then, you’d start that whole cycle back over again.”