Kevin Harvick Issues Strict Warning to Kyle Larson After Unwarranted Chase Elliott Slander

Last weekend’s Iowa Corn 350 on August 3, 2025, was a cauldron of chaos, and Kyle Larson’s radio meltdown stole the show. On Lap 243, Erik Jones spun across the frontstretch grass after contact from Chase Briscoe, forcing Brad Keselowski and Briscoe to dodge the mess as the caution waved. Some drivers, like Ryan Blaney and Ty Gibbs, hit pit road, but Keselowski’s team stayed out, radioing, “We’re committed.” Larson, though, was the one grabbing headlines.

The No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports driver, who’d been running as high as fifth before slipping to 12th, was livid after getting pushed out of the groove repeatedly. His frustration boiled over in a string of f-bomb, “How much f—— room do I have to leave people? … I’ve been trying to be a good teammate, a good competitor and it hasn’t gotten me anywhere for the last hour.” The typically cool-headed Larson was anything but on Iowa’s tight 0.875-mile oval.

Earlier, he’d even clipped teammate Chase Elliott, narrowly avoiding a wreck, which only cranked up the tension. His outburst echoed Blaney’s earlier rant in the same race, proof that the playoff chase is pushing drivers to their limits. Fans were floored, used to Larson’s composed vibe, and the raw emotion sparked a frenzy online. Kevin Harvick was stunned, too, and didn’t hold back on his podcast, issuing a sharp notice to Larson about his mid-race mindset and the teammate drama that’s clearly simmering at Hendrick.

Harvick’s advice or warning?

On the latest episode of  Kevin Harvick’s Happy Hour, Harvick dove into Larson’s Iowa outburst, questioning its roots. “I just wonder where those comments- Those are obviously conversations that somebody’s had with Kyle Larson or he’s thought about and why those conversations started. There’s obviously been a conversation that’s happened either within the organization, or Kyle with himself, or Kyle and clip, or however, this whole conversation about being a good competitor and being a good teammate and all those things that came to that rant on the radio? And I don’t like that for Kyle Larson. I want Kyle Larson to be doing side jobs and not worrying about and what kind of competitor he is and what kind of you know.”

Harvick’s concern points to off-track talks, maybe with crew or even within Larson’s own head, that led to his explosive venting. Larson’s rant, sparked after slipping from fifth to 12th and getting bumped repeatedly, wasn’t just a heat-of-the-moment snap. His earlier contact with Elliott, nearly causing a wreck, suggests ongoing tension at Hendrick. Harvick, a 2014 Cup champ, wants Larson focused on winning, not stewing over teammate dynamics mid-race.

Harvick doubled down, “I think you always have to worry about what kind of teammate you are, but I think it’s better to worry about it after it’s already done, and you worry about the consequences later because that is not productive in my mind for Kyle Larson to be thinking about stuff like that. Interesting to hear those comments because it’s just to me that shows that it’s definitely been a conversation about it at some point.”

Larson’s 28th-place finish, with nose damage and a widening points gap to Byron, shows how distractions hurt. Harvick’s point is clear: dissecting teammate issues mid-race is a losing game. Larson’s bump with Elliott, plus his radio meltdown, hints at discussions within Hendrick about team cohesion. Harvick’s veteran perspective of ‘focus on the race and sort out feelings later’ really underscores why Larson’s mindset could cost him in the playoff hunt.

Retirement timing ain’t buzzing Harvick

Kevin Harvick walked away from NASCAR in 2023 with no regrets, sliding effortlessly into Fox Sports’ broadcast booth. His final season didn’t bring a win, but his resume is stacked: the 2014 Cup title, Busch Series championships in 2001 and 2006, and all four crown jewels, the 2007 Daytona 500, Brickyard 400 in 2003, 2019, and 2020, Coca-Cola 600 in 2011 and 2013, and Southern 500 in 2014 and 2020.

Reflecting on his exit in an Autoweek interview, Harvick said, “It was the perfect time for me. The way everything worked out in the Fox booth, I think the timing of it would have been a couple of years sooner if COVID hadn’t happened. But I got a couple more years in the car, then when this opportunity with Fox came, I was at the end of my contract. The most important thing was that I fulfilled the end of my contract with Stewart-Haas so I wouldn’t put them in a bad spot.”

Now, Harvick’s found joy behind the wheel again, racing for fun without the grind of Cup competition. He’s also a busy dad, cheering on son Keelan’s racing dreams, while juggling his Fox analyst role and hosting “Happy Hour.” Initially skeptical about podcasting, he now loves it, using it to prep for weekly broadcasts and unpack race drama like Larson’s Iowa outburst. Fans dig the long-form vibe, letting Harvick dive deep into moments like these, offering insights that the fast-paced booth can’t. His retirement timing was spot-on, and he’s thriving in this new chapter, keeping NASCAR’s pulse racing.