Kevin Harvick Clears Air on Kyle Busch’s Broadcasting Curse, Hilariously Doges Responsibility in 3 Words

Is the commentator’s jinx a real thing in NASCAR? While it is hard to factually prove if an announcer can derail a driver’s good race, there have been a fair share of incidents that make you wonder if this hoodoo is real. Back in 2021, Kyle Larson was on his way to win his fourth consecutive race at Pocono Raceway, but just as Mike Joy was explaining the significance of his win on the last lap, the left front tire on the No. 5 Chevy went flat. He wrecked into the wall, allowing Alex Bowman to clinch the win. Fast forward to 2025, and now Kevin Harvick found himself in a similar position. And it was Kyle Busch who found himself on the receiving end.

Before the Texas race, Kyle Busch was chasing more than just a win. He wanted a legacy like Denny Hamlin’s, which he created after turning 40. Hamlin, at 43, is still winning. Busch, just turned 40, was still grinding. “Denny has done a great job… winning races at his age. That’s something I want to do,” he said before the weekend. Fans felt it; this was Rowdy’s moment. The No. 8 Chevy looked sharp, had 7-Eleven on the hood, and momentum under the tires.

The setup was perfect, and then, the race began. The race unfolded with chaos, 15 lead changes, 10 cautions, and rising drama. Busch worked his way up from 26th to third with grit and focus. Then came Turn 4. Just as FOX’s Kevin Harvick praised him on-air, Busch’s car got loose and slammed the wall. Social media erupted. Fans were furious. Harvick’s words were still echoing as Busch spun out. While fans and his co-panellist called out the former SHR driver for cursing Busch’s race, he had a hilarious response.

On his Happy Hour podcast, Harvick was quick to address the chatter. When co-host Mamba Smith suggested, half-joking, that Harvick cursed Busch, Harvick fired back. “Hey, don’t blame me… I was trying to give the guy some love, and mid-sentence we backed into the fence off four,” he said. He shrugged it off with humor, but didn’t avoid the topic. He broke down the real issues, pit road inconsistencies, car instability, and plain bad luck.

“He’s so used to being able to drive the old car past its edge and save it. You can’t do that with the Next Gen car,” he said. Notably, Busch, famous for controlling a car on the edge, can’t muscle these newer models the same way. “The way that bump is in Turns 3 and 4, it unloads the car,” Harvick said. The stats back up Harvick’s concern. Since the Next Gen car arrived in 2022, Busch’s numbers have slipped. He had six DNFs in 2022 and again in 2023.

In 2024, he failed to win a single race, the first time that’s happened in his full-time career. Now in 2025, through 12 races, including the Bowman Gray Clash, he has just one top-five and an average finish of 17th. Still, Kevin Harvick doesn’t pile on; “I want Kyle Busch to win so bad. If he does, they’re gonna tear the place down.” The respect is still there. Even if the results aren’t. So, did Harvick curse Kyle Busch? Maybe. But don’t expect him to take the blame.

Kevin Harvick sounds the alarm on Ross Chastain!

Kevin Harvick has seen enough to know when a team is falling behind. On the latest Happy Hour podcast, he shifted his focus to Trackhouse Racing’s Ross Chastain. While many fans have pointed fingers at Chastain for his recent dip in form, Harvick believes the issue runs deeper. He says the pressure Chastain is under comes from having to carry a car that isn’t keeping up with the competition.

“You look at the Chastain pit crew, they’re ranked 16th. They’ve done a decent job on pit road, but they have not been doing a decent job in qualifying,” Harvick noted. That lack of early speed is forcing Chastain to fight uphill all race long. And according to him, the emotional toll is starting to show. “This was the first time I’ve ever heard Ross Chastain get out of that race car and voice his displeasure. His interview afterwards was different. The reality has showed up… they struggle on qualifying day,” he said.

Notably, Chastain sits 11th in points. Respectable, but not elite. He has six top-10s, two top-5s, and 50 laps led. Decent numbers, not superstar ones. Harvick’s message was clear: Trackhouse needs to give him more. Until then, Ross Chastain will keep dragging that car forward on grit and sheer will. But the clock is ticking. Despite those struggles, Harvick still sees Chastain grinding harder than most.

“They spent their whole day on pit road — strategy, great restarts. He’s right up at the top in that restart category, gaining positions. Doing Ross things,” he said. In Harvick’s eyes, Ross Chastain isn’t failing, he’s surviving. And that may be even harder. “They’re grinding harder than anybody,” he said. But unless Trackhouse finds more speed, the results aren’t going to change drastically.