Keelan drops a cheeky 2-word advice to father Kevin Harvick after beating him for his maiden CARS Tour win

12-year-old Keelan Harvick held off a field of Pro Late Model veterans, including his father to claim his first CARS Tour win at Kevin Harvick's Kern Raceway. However, few expected his post-race advice to be as blunt as it was witty.

Standing beside his father in a NASCAR Regional video on X, the young racer was asked what advice he had for his dad after the dramatic late-race tangle that knocked the elder Harvick out of contention. With a grin, Keelan quipped:

"Don't crash."

The 2014 NASCAR Cup Series winner, piloting the No. 29 Hunt Brothers Pizza late model, could only chuckle at the jab, replying:

"Yeah, in order to finish first, you must first finish. You heard that before, so yeah, I guess I need to take my own advice."

It was a light-hearted exchange after an evening filled with wheel-to-wheel action and a proud milestone moment for the Harvick family.

The Mission Bank 250 at Kevin Harvick's Kern Raceway in Bakersfield, California, saw the father-son duo face off in two 75-lap Pro Late Model races. Keelan Harvick, driving the No. 62 Hunt Brothers car, earned the pole in the first race and led the first 40 laps until the first competition caution.

However, after restarting on the front row, Kevin wasted no time showing his son how it's done. He overtook Keelan on turn 2 and didn't look back to take the first checkered flag of the night. The second race, however, flipped the script in more ways than one.

Kevin once again took the early lead before Buddy Shepherd charged past. For much of the race, it seemed Jacob Gomes had it under control after making a decisive move for the lead with just six laps to go. But the night turned chaotic when Gomes made contact with Kevin's left rear, triggering a spin that collected both and took Shepherd out in the process.

That moment of mayhem handed the lead to fifth-running Keelan Harvick, who seized the opportunity. On the restart, Keelan fended off Kenna Mitchell and pulled away, clinching his first-ever Pro Late Model victory in front of a packed hometown crowd and a $7,500 prize money.

The win made Keelan the youngest victor in the SPEARS CARS Tour West series and set off jubilant celebrations as father and son shared a heartfelt moment after the race.

---

"Couldn't be more proud": Kevin Harvick reflects on racing son Keelan at Kern Raceway

Kevin Harvick stands with his wife DeLana Harvick and son Keelan and daughter Piper at Pocono. Source: Imagn

While the crash in Race 2 denied Kevin Harvick a shot at sweeping the event, the real victory for the 60-time Cup Series winner came in the form of watching his son rise to the occasion. Speaking after the race, Harvick praised both Keelan and their KHI Management-affiliated team for putting together a race-winning weekend.

"I'm really proud of everything that you did this weekend. So, to be able to be on the same racetrack and do all the things that we got to do, not many dads and sons can go out and do those things, so couldn't be more proud of you," Kevin said, addressing his son via NASCAR on FOX on Instagram.

After the exchange, Kevin sealed the moment with a proud fatherly kiss on Keelan's helmet. The Mission Bank 250 also showcased the influence of Kevin Harvick Inc., which had a hand in organizing and supporting the cars, part of the 2025 SPEARS CARS Tour West calendar presented by Hoosier Racing Tire. However, the duo isn't done yet.

As Kevin revealed during the weekend, the father-son tandem is set to compete in at least seven more events across the country in 2025, running under the CARS Tour East and West banners.