“Why don't we celebrate greatness?” : Kevin Harvick bluntly questions the animosity towards dominant drivers like Shane van Gisbergen

Kevin Harvick has responded to Shane van Gisbergen’s success on road courses amid the criticism from some fans about the Trackhouse Racing driver's dominance on only one type of racetrack. SVG has won five Cup races since his debut win at the Chicago street race in 2023.

The Kiwi is one of only four drivers with four consecutive road and street course wins but is still only 25th in the overall points standings. As a result, some critics have questioned van Gisbergen's place in the playoffs.

During the latest episode of Kevin Harvick's Happy Hour, the former NASCAR Cup champion pointed out that winning at the top level is never easy, even for drivers who make it look routine. He also mentioned the constant hatred of successful drivers, amid Shane van Gisbergen's run.

"It's crazy that it's hated instead of celebrated. Why don't we celebrate greatness? And this has been a constant conversation throughout the years. When somebody dominates, why don't we celebrate it? Why do we knock them down?" Kevin Harvick questioned (09:50 onwards).

Harvick believes the sport has lost the habit of creating heroes because the narrative too often shifts from praising excellence to finding ways to diminish it.

Harvick also mentioned a meeting years ago with Martin Truex Jr. and Kyle Busch, where NASCAR officials told them rule changes were coming because they were winning too much.

Does Shane van Gisbergen's dominance on road and street courses demand a change in NASCAR schedule?

NASCAR ran just two road course races each year at Sonoma and Watkins Glen for most of its history. The addition of road and street courses in the recent decade has bumped the count to six or seven road-course events in some years. Many fans and drivers, including Brad Keselowski and Dale Earnhardt Jr., have complained that six road/street races, which make up about 17 percent of the season, are too many.

NASCAR analyst Jeff Gluck also called for fewer road course events following Shane van Gisbergen's run of dominance and the Next Gen car's poor performance.

During the same podcast episode, Kevin Harvick argued for keeping road and street courses in the NASCAR Cup Series schedule to attract international audience.

"You have to have it, if you're going to grow. If you're going to be international, you got to have a road course. The international fans don't understand oval races. It's put us at all these great venues that are world-class venues and people understand road racing," Harvick said (12:20).

NASCAR has continued to add road courses. In 2021, it added three venues, the Circuit of the Americas, Road America, and the Indianapolis road course. Mexico City was added this year and the Chicago street race three years ago. Shane van Gisbergen has claimed four wins this season, all on road courses.