"They don't have men anymore": Ex-NASCAR champion Mike Skinner tells Kevin Harvick about the lack of personalities among current crop of stars

On the Kevin Harvick Happy Hour, Mike Skinner commented on the status of NASCAR compared to when he started racing back in the early 90s. In a segment for the podcast, The 1995 Truck Series champion praised the highly “technical” nature of the drivers but also noticed the lack of “men”.

Skinner became the first winner in the history of the Truck Series, and went on to win 50 poles and 28 races, cementing his legacy as one of the series' most successful drivers. Skinner’s career progressed as he joined Richard Childress Racing and became the 1997 NASCAR Cup Series Rookie of the Year, earning six poles, and winning in Japan, including two exhibition wins.

Mike Skinner said to Kevin Harvick:

“But in ‘95 and ‘96, we had men. They don't have men anymore. They have a lot of guys that are really high technical, their fitness program is impeccable now today, but they fall out of the seat way more than we probably did.

He added:

“And it's insane that with all the tools they have in the toolbox, it's that hard. But they're little guys, they're smaller guys. And we're finding out all the time that the smaller frame and the less weight you have and the shorter you are, you're like a jockey. Kyle Larson should win every race, right?”

Harvick, who runs the Happy Hour podcast, is an accomplished driver who won the 2014 Cup Series championship. Since his retirement as a driver, the former Stewart–Haas Racing star has been working as a broadcaster for NASCAR on FOX.

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Kevin Harvick shares thoughts on Chase Elliott's rise in form amid Kyle Larson's recent struggles

Kevin Harvick recently shared critical observations about Hendrick Motorsports' performance consistency, particularly highlighting Chase Elliott's standout stability amid the struggles of teammates Kyle Larson and William Byron during the 2025 season. Despite Larson's early wins and laps led, his and Byron's results have slumped over the summer, with erratic finishes and qualifying struggles.

Harvick praised Elliott for his ability to maintain strong finishes even when the team or car setup isn't ideal, often finishing races in the top six to top 10 consistently, which has allowed Elliott to lead the regular season standings with a Cup Series-best average finish of 10.0.

"At the end, I thought, man, he might have a shot to win this thing, with the tire situation. But they (No. 5) definitely needed to get back on track and be able to try to get themselves in a position to get the ship righted, and you've got five more races to do that before the playoffs start. But man, I hate that inconsistency," Kevin Harvick said. (26:35 onwards)

"I think that's the thing that the (No.) 9 does better, than those other three cars. Even when they're off, they're figuring out how to finish sixth or seventh, eighth, When those (No.) 24 and the (No.) 5 are off, it just tanks. The (No.) 24 situation is the exact same as it was last year, and the year before. Starts off, goes through the summer slump, and then we show back up at the end of the year. But it's just so hard to keep up with the progression," he added. (27:00 onwards)

Kevin Harvick also pointed out that while Hendrick Motorsports fields multiple competitive cars, the team's broader inconsistency in race results and qualifying has hindered its overall success during the season. Elliott’s consistent performances mark a significant contrast, as he manages to eke out strong finishes even during periods when the cars aren’t performing at their peak.