Kyle Larson revealed Sunday that Kevin Harvick will serve as his standby driver for the NASCAR All-Star Race weekend next month while he participates in qualifying for the Indianapolis 500.
Larson dropped the news with Harvick by his side during FOX Sports’ pre-race coverage of Sunday’s Cup Series race at Dover Motor Speedway (FS1, PRN Radio, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).
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Harvick, who shifted to FOX’s broadcast team this season after a Hall of Fame-worthy driving career, will potentially be called out of retirement to substitute during All-Star Race action in the No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet at North Wilkesboro Speedway on May 17-19. Multiple sessions of qualifying are scheduled May 18-19 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, where Larson will be bidding to make his Indy 500 debut May 26.
All-Star practice and qualifying at North Wilkesboro are scheduled Friday, May 17. All-Star heats are scheduled that Saturday (starting at 5:20 p.m. ET), and the All-Star main event will be Sunday at 8 p.m. ET (FS1, MRN Radio, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).
Harvick, a two-time All-Star race winner (2007, 2018), said he was approached by team owner Rick Hendrick to ask about his availability.
“When Rick called a couple of days ago, he said, ‘Hey, I need a favor,’ and I know when the conversation starts like that, that usually you have to say yes,” Harvick said. “So I appreciate you guys calling. It’s going to be fun.”
Larson entered Sunday’s Würth 400 at Dover as the Cup Series points leader. He won last year’s NASCAR All-Star Race in dominant fashion, with stock-car racing’s top division holding its first event at the 0.625-mile North Wilkesboro track since 1996.