As the sun set over Arizona, the CARS Tour season opener displayed an unusual scene in professional motorsports: Kevin Harvick, a NASCAR legend with 60 Cup Series wins, was racing closely against his 13-year-old son, Keelan. So far, Keelan has had the upper hand when it comes to their encounters. But not today.

This was not a casual event; it was an intense, fast-paced race on the street. The evening shifted from a family outing to a serious competition when a particular incident on the track made the younger Harvick realize the tough reality of racing against a champion.

Kevin Harvick reminds Keelan who’s the father

Keelan Harvick won the pole to the CARS Tour West Pro Late Model season opener at Tucson. He got an early lead too, in the 125 lap feature. However, a quick caution within a few laps made him lose that grip. But it was the father-son battle that grabbed all the attention.

Both traded paint fiercely, and Kevin Harvick found better grip in turns one and two, which helped him challenge Keelan’s lead near the end. “It got a little physical, but I was like, ‘You moved me out of the way today, your baseball just over you, you’re gonna get the bumper back,'” Harvick said post-race. Keelan had nudged him first during their door-to-door encounter.

Harvick did the same. When they battled, Keelan took a lead for a split second, but Kevin, known as “The Closer” for his strong finishing skills, bumped him back and swooped past him from the inside lane.

With that bump, Harvick took the lead, winning the race by 0.743 seconds over William Sawalich, who came in third.

Harvick said, “I’m glad you didn’t wreck, but I would have been fine with that too today, but it was fun and hopefully the crowd enjoyed it.”

Harvick won his first race in Tucson since 1995, showing he is still strong at short tracks at 50 years old. Keelan led early but lost his chance under pressure, finishing second and looking upset in victory lane.

Kevin admitted with a grin, signaling that on the track, the title of “Dad” is secondary to “Competitor.” He made it clear that the battle started the moment Keelan made contact. The goal was to teach the young driver that track position must be earned, not given.

Though devastated, Keelan reflected on the heartbreak with maturity beyond his years. “It was really fun. Hate that I couldn’t win,” he told reporters, praising the eventful weekend despite radiator damage from earlier contact with concrete.

Even though he felt frustrated by the late-race conflict, Keelan stayed focused on what he could learn from it. He watched the experienced drivers closely to see the lines they took and the racing techniques they used, hoping to improve his own skills.

“Gave it all I had! Congrats on the win Pops!” he said maturely.

“I definitely picked up his line here about the track and all his racing techniques. They really benefit me,” Keelan further explained. The race acted as a live classroom led by a Hall of Fame driver.

Although the veteran’s aggressive approach kept the younger Harvick from winning, the 125 laps provided valuable experience. This helped Keelan prove he is a rising star, showing he can compete well even when the rivalry is intense.

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Kevin Harvick’s CARS Tour’s rising momentum

This father-son rivalry is an important moment for the CARS Tour, a racing series co-owned by Kevin Harvick, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Jeff Burton, and Justin Marks.

This “racing empire” is reaching new heights by giving up-and-coming talent a chance to compete against experienced professionals.

The SoundGear 125 at Tucson Speedway was the first event for the Spears CARS Tour Southwest Pro Late Model division. It attracted a competitive field of 40 cars, but only 35 started the race due to incidents during practice.

Kevin Harvick highlighted how the series is growing with a focus on the racers: “We just want good events for the racers… trying to create great events… so it’s fun to see it all come together.”

The 2026 schedule includes 23 events at 11 tracks in six states, with a total payout of $2.1 million and complete coverage on FloRacing. Practice sessions showed strong competition, with Keelan Harvick often leading the charts along with William Sawalich, Haeden Plybon, and Austin Herzog.

Incidents like Billy Coles’ wall tap and Ryan Phipps’ crash in Turn 2 tested the teams, while Sawalich faced engine problems that added some last-minute excitement.

The Pro Late Models will be split into Northwest and Southwest divisions, allowing for larger fields and exciting rivalries at Evergreen Speedway and Colorado National Speedway.