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NASCAR’s beloved prankster, and fiery trailblazer is gearing up for his final few laps. The countdown has begun: only a handful of races remain before he gracefully hangs up his helmet. But this isn’t a full stop—just a riveting new chapter. Soon, he’ll swap the racetrack’s adrenaline for the exhilaration of the FOX Sports booth, joining forces with legends Mike Joy and Clint Bowyer. The nimble-footed Kevin Harvick will exchange his steering prowess for the charisma of the microphone—a transition matured by deep introspection.

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Yet, as the checkered flag beckons for this era, the NASCAR world isn’t letting Kevin Harvick off easy. His teammates had previously created a tribute video, a delightful montage capturing his jests and joviality. Brands, sponsors, and racetracks are likewise orchestrating their own unique salutes, commemorating his indelible mark on the sport. And now, there’s chatter about an upcoming grandiose celebration of a feat the SHR driver achieved at the next circuit. But rumor has it several fans did not like the latest idea of the tribute to the legendary driver.

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Tony Stewart’s team is popping champagne for the monumental ride of Kevin Harvick

Recently, Homestead-Miami Speedway set the racing world abuzz. The second race of the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs’ Round of 8 will be donned with a dazzling title, the “4EVER 400 Presented by Mobil 1,” all in honor of the living legend, Kevin Harvick. As the driver of the No. 4 gears up to park his career, it appears every track and sponsor is eager to roll out their own red carpet for the retiring maestro.

Across a stellar 23-year career with 803 races under his belt, Harvick’s dashboard boasts an impressive 60 wins, 442 top-10s, and 31 poles. But that’s not it. Dig a little deeper, and you’ll find he’s burned rubber for a jaw-dropping 308,238 miles at the Cup level. The feat slides him into an elite fifth place, tailgating legends like Mark Martin, Ricky Rudd, Terry Labonte, and Bill Elliott. To celebrate the same, the Las Vegas race track is about to witness a grand spectacle.

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Harvick’s car will flaunt a fresh paint scheme, emblazoned with that mighty mileage on its bumper. Dustin Albino, the voice behind Jayski, broke the news with a tweet that captured the essence: “Kevin Harvick will run a new Mobil 1 scheme at Las Vegas this weekend. On the bumper, it has the number 308,238, which is the number of miles Harvick has raced at the Cup level. That ranks fifth all time, behind Mark Martin, Ricky Rudd, Terry Labonte and Bill Elliott.”

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However, there’s a twist in the tale! The fresh coat of paint, reminiscent of varied milk chocolate hues, didn’t rev up excitement among the fans. Given the many iconic liveries Harvick’s car has sported, many felt that Mobil 1 might have missed a gear this time.

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Harvick’s Las Vegas car paint scheme has fans revved up: “Ugly paint scheme”

The passionate NASCAR fanbase, never ones to shy away from a heated pit stop debate, shifted into high gear when Harvick’s car’s new look was unveiled by the Stewart-Haas Racing team. Forums like Reddit went into overdrive, with some fans mincing no words. One commented, “The mileage on the back is pretty cool. But what is this design??” Another quipped, “Is today national drop an ugly paint scheme day?” The sentiment echoed loud and clear: “everyone disliked that.”

Others didn’t spare the sponsors either. A critical fan jested, “Mobil 1, what happened to good looking race cars.” Another remarked, “This is at least better than the relay 24 scheme but also not setting the bar too high… oh mobil one y’all are supposed to have fire schemes”

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Then there were those who distilled their sentiments into potent one-liners: “B**t ugly”
“That’s certainly…..awful”
“Ew.”
“I think the 45 missed the memo”

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Nostalgia hit some hard. An ardent fan wistfully shared a Harvick 2004 design, lamenting, “I’ve said it a thousand times. Why aren’t we running his 2004 scheme with GEARwrench as the sponsor??” Echoing this sentiment, another chimed in, “Criminal, someone needs to be arrested if they don’t use this scheme in the next 4 weeks.”

Now, hindsight is 20/20. But Tony Stewart provides Kevin Harvick with a car that not only ensures impeccable performance but also dresses his ride to impress. Let’s get that paint game on point!

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Read More: Days After Being Publicly Chastised by NASCAR, 141-YO Oil Giant Honors Retiring Icon Kevin Harvick

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Neha Dwivedi

1,262 Articles

​​Neha Dwivedi is a NASCAR Writer at EssentiallySports. As a journalist, she religiously believes in the power of research, which allows her readers to dive deep into her stories and experience the detailed nuances of the sport like never before. Being proficient with Core Sport and Live Event Coverage, she has written multiple copies on the top entities of Stock Car Racing, like Denny Hamlin, Chase Elliott, and Tony Stewart. Even before Neha entered the world of Sports Journalism, she was a writer for the longest time. This helped her master the art of storytelling, which now allows her to connect with not only her readers but also drivers like Thad Moffitt, who have shown appreciation for her work. While she enjoys bringing the BTS scoops of NASCAR to the forefront, her favorite style of coverage has to be where she has the opportunity to explore some of the sports' most talked about topics like penalties, innovation, and safety.

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Nischal Kandpal

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