Kevin Harvick shares inspirational message from MLB legend: “Make sure you take that jersey off for yourself, don’t let them take it off for you”

The 2023 NASCAR Cup Series Championship Race at Phoenix Raceway marked the end of Kevin Harvick’s Hall of Fame-worthy career. He ended his career with an impressive top-10 finish in the season-finale race and 10th in the all-time NASCAR Cup Series winners list with 60 wins.

In an appearance last week on the Dale Jr. Download, the 2014 NASCAR Cup Series champions spoke about the valuable advice he received from MLB legend Joe Girardi, the three-time championship-winning baseball star regarding the judgment call to plan for his eventual retirement. Girardi, while considering his experience in his mind, told Harvick to retire on his own terms and not wait for the inevitable elimination.

“I think it’s – Joe Girardi [former MLB manager] said the same thing, he said, ‘Kevin make sure you take that jersey off for yourself, don’t let them take it off for you.’ And I think for me that really hit home. … I think for me, I’m very satisfied with being able to close that chapter myself,” Harvick said as quoted by On3.com.

In a two-decade-long career, Kevin Harvick won a total of 60 races, including Crown Jewel victories in the Daytona 500, Coca-Cola 600, Brickyard 400 and Southern 500. He also won two NASCAR Xfinity Series championships in 2001 and 2006 and has 47 career wins in that series. He also has 14 career wins and 62 top-10 finishes in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series.

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Kevin Harvick receives similar advice from Mark Martin regarding NASCAR retirement

During the podcast, the 47-year-old also talked about the message he received from former NASCAR driver Mark Martin that also helped him to plan his retirement. Martin made one thing clear to Harvick: he should retire only if he feels 100% sure that he is done with the sport.

“I think that’s one thing that Mark Martin was very clear on. And you know he had the retirement tour and unretired and raced several more years. ‘Kevin just make sure you race until you know 100% that you’re done’,” Harvick said.

In the same podcast, Kevin Harvick drops hints of his next racing plans in NASCAR. He revealed that he will not return to the Cup Series again but is open to competing in NASCAR Xfinity or Truck Series.