Kevin Harvick has expressed his excitement for the growth of grassroots racing in the Pacific Northwest. His grassroots racing series, co-owned with Dale Earnhardt Jr., has announced the Northwest Pro Late Model Division in the 2026 season.The new division will consist of nine races at five different tracks throughout Idaho, Washington, and Colorado, starting April 11 at Tri-City Raceway and ending on September 19 at Wenatchee Valley Super Oval. The calendar shows various featured races, one of them being the Apple Cup, Leonard Evans Memorial, Mark Galloway Shootout, Idaho 200, and Summer Showdown, where drivers receive competitive payouts.On this announcement by the CARS Tour, Kevin Harvick replied:"Thrilled for our fans in the Pacific Northwest! Coming in 2026…"Kevin Harvick, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Jeff Burton, and Justin Marks are co-owners of the CARS Tour, which is a grassroots late model stock car racing series headquartered in the Carolinas, Virginia, and Tennessee. The series started as the Hooters Cup in 1995 and developed over the years into a different form than it is today, the CARS Tour. Harvick and Earnhardt acquired the ownership to save and grow the grassroots racing business, which the young drivers and race fans value, at local race tracks. The ownership was contemplated as a serious consideration after an event in 2022 at North Wilkesboro Speedway, when they discussed the necessity of preserving the heritage and future of the series.Kevin Harvick calls Dale Earnhardt Jr. a rare breed in racingKevin Harvick has praised Dale Earnhardt Jr. as a rare breed in racing for his deep passion and involvement in the sport. Earnhardt Jr., who has racing in his blood as the son of NASCAR legend Dale Earnhardt Sr., lives his life around racing and remains actively engaged in many aspects of the sport, including driving, team ownership, and now crew chief duties. Harvick highlighted Earnhardt Jr.’s willingness to step into different roles within racing, illustrating his lifelong dedication to NASCAR."The unique part about Dale Jr. is, he just has a huge passion for everything about racing. He likes to know about it, he likes to be involved in it, he'll step in and be the crew chief, he'll step in and run CARS Tour races. He lives his life around racing, and has lived his life around racing since he was born," Kevin Harvick said via his Happy Hour podcastThey not only own the CARS Tour series but also actively promote it, with Kevin Harvick and Dale Earnhardt Jr. sharing broadcast duties for its races, helping bring national attention and exposure to the CARS Tour. Their involvement is about preserving the roots of NASCAR-style stock car racing and providing a development platform for future NASCAR stars. The series features both Pro Late Models and Late Model Stock Cars racing on the same night at the same venues, making it unique and exciting.