The NASCAR 2023 Cup Series has thrown many mavericks, including the likes of Chase Elliott, a curveball. But there’s always another inning, be it next year or the one after, to send it out of the park. Tony Stewart‘s favorite, Kevin Harvick, however, sees the sands of time running out, with a mere nine races to go before he hangs up his boots. With Lady Luck giving him the cold shoulder during the regular season, Harvick set his sights on the playoffs, chasing victories to propel him further.

Yet d?j? vu struck at the Darlington Raceway. Harvick, once king of the hill, slid to a spot that didn’t quite hit the mark. This twist in the tale caught the eye of a former HMS Titan, who pinned the turn of events on a most unexpected culprit.

HMS Legend believes it wasn?t Kevin Harvick but something else responsible for Harvick getting penalized

The 2023 Cook Out Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway was brewing to be a nail-biter between Tyler Reddick and Kevin Harvick, especially with a formidable Denny Hamlin sidelined due to a wonky wheel with less than 100 laps remaining. As the clock was ticking and just shy of 60 laps left to unravel, the stage was set for another round of green-flag pit stops. But fate threw a spanner in the works when Ryan Newman‘s #4 car went into a spin just as Reddick was gearing down for a last-minute pit entry. Meanwhile, Harvick, leading the duo, was on the cusp of the commitment line.

The cards didn’t play in Harvick‘s favor, as he hadn’t crossed the line when the caution flags flew. A missed opportunity: had he just cruised down pit road without stopping, he’d have sidestepped the penalty. Yet, as fate had it, the #4 team got slapped with a “closed pit” penalty during their pit stop.

Former HMS stalwart Steve Letarte dissected the episode, pointing the finger not at Harvick but at a communication SNAFU between him and his crew chief. He opined, “I think the #4 fell a little short in communication. I think they could have restarted, to your point. He may not have won the race, but it could have been a much better finish.”

He stressed the lack of pointed questions between Tony Stewart’s team when Harvick encountered the red lights on the pit road: “So this whole time, we are conversing on: Hey! Are we on pit road, are we not? We didn?t hear that on the radio. We heard some communication, but I wanted to hear some pointed questions of did we or did we not make it. Should we pit? And I just don?t think there was an urgency we are looking for.”

However, Letarte isn’t the lone ranger in this analysis. Even racing heavyweight Dale Earnhardt Jr didn’t hold back his opinions and shared his perspective on the sticky wicket Harvick found himself in.

Watch This Story: Kevin Harvick Loses His Only Hope To Win a Race; NASCAR Faces Criticism From Tony Stewart’s Team Member

Dale Earnhardt Jr wonders if the penalty was the best way to deal with the situation

In a recent episode of his podcast, Dale Jr shed light on Kevin Harvick’s contentious penalty. While he didn’t pin the blame on NASCAR, unlike many fans crying foul, he did throw a curveball by asking, “Is this really the best way to be doing this?? I?d love to know NASCAR?s opinion on should we adjust what is committed to pit road.”

Chipping in further, Dale Jr felt there was a need for NASCAR to clear the air. He mused, “In my mind, I have a problem with how muddy that is. If Harvick turns right and doesn?t go down pit road, he is committed a penalty by going under the commitment box and skipping the pit road. That?s not legal any other time.”

Not to mention, without that pit road kerfuffle, Kevin Harvick would likely have been riding high, perhaps within the top 5, instead of being stuck in the P19 rut.

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