Kevin Harvick Reveals Michael Jordan’s Surprising Side With a Bold Bristol Confession

Kevin Harvick burst onto the NASCAR scene in 2001, claiming his first Cup Series win at Atlanta in just his third start as a rookie. Known for his no-holds-barred approach on the track, he racked up 60 Cup victories and the 2014 championship through sheer determination. Over time, that intensity evolved into seasoned wisdom, but even the toughest drivers hit rough patches. What happens when a low moment strikes?

At Bristol in 2023, Harvick faced one such dip during his final season, finishing outside the top 20 and bowing out of the playoffs early. Michael Jordan, the 23XI Racing co-owner often viewed as fiercely competitive amid his team’s ongoing charter battle with NASCAR, stepped in with unexpected support. As a six-time NBA champ, Jordan knows pressure, yet his words that night shifted Harvick’s outlook. So let’s find out how Michael Jordan’s words made Kevin Harvick’s day better after that Bristol night, and what surprising side of Michael Jordan Kevin Harvick saw that night.

Kevin Harvick shares Jordan’s unexpected pep talk

On Kevin Harvick’s X post of the Happy Hour podcast, the retired driver opened up about a tough moment at Bristol in 2023, where his 29th-place finish ended his playoff run in the Round of 16. Walking out of the tunnel with his head down after what he called a miserable day, Harvick felt a big hand on his shoulder. “You just got to be proud of everything that you’ve done. Don’t worry about what happened today,” Jordan told him, turning into an impromptu counselor as they walked to the motorhome lot.

The 🐐 is also a counselor. @KevinHarvick remembers some words of encouragement from Michael Jordan after a miserable day at Bristol. pic.twitter.com/HaQHZD9ixG

— HarvickHappyHour (@HarvickHappyPod) September 3, 2025

This came during Kevin Harvick‘s farewell season with Stewart-Haas Racing, where, despite no wins, he posted six top-fives and 14 top-10s, wrapping up a career that started with replacing Dale Earnhardt Sr. in 2001 and included that emotional Atlanta victory weeks after Earnhardt’s passing. Harvick emphasized Jordan’s genuine involvement in the sport. “Michael talked to me all the way out of that tunnel. Just he was kind of like the counselor between the exit of the garage back to the motorhome lot,” he recalled, noting how the NBA icon knew the garage dynamics without needing personal connections.

Jordan, who entered NASCAR as 23XI co-owner in 2021 with Denny Hamlin, has built a team that’s notched eight Cup wins, including Tyler Reddick’s regular-season title in 2024. His hands-on style, seen in attending races like Darlington, where he patted A.J. Allmendinger after a strong run where he finished 5, shows a side beyond the aggressive competitor who dominated basketball.

That encounter revealed Jordan’s knack for uplifting others under pressure. Harvick added, “He knows what’s happening in the garage. He knows he may not know you personally, but he knows about you. He knows about the drivers. He knows about the sport.” This motivational approach stems from Jordan’s own career, where he led the Chicago Bulls to six titles, often pushing teammates hard but also building them up.

For Harvick, facing retirement after 23 seasons and 60 wins, Jordan’s words reframed the Bristol disappointment as just one chapter in a Hall of Fame legacy. While Jordan boosts drivers like Harvick, questions linger about his own commitment. Amid 23XI’s legal fight with NASCAR, Harvick has weighed in on what lies ahead.

Kevin Harvick questions Michael Jordan’s long-term stay

Kevin Harvick expressed uncertainty about Michael Jordan’s NASCAR future during a recent Happy Hour episode. “I think that he’s been in some moments like this, with the NBAPA and the league, in the past. But man, it sure seems like it’s not going the way that they thought it was going to go,” he said, referring to 23XI’s antitrust lawsuit against NASCAR over the charter system. Filed in October 2024 alongside Front Row Motorsports, the case alleges monopolistic practices after both teams refused the new charter agreement, initially risking unchartered status for 2025, though a December 18, 2024, injunction allowed them to race as chartered teams pending further appeals.

Harvick highlighted the ripple effects on team operations. “I think it’s affecting their teams. The performance of their teams. Where they are right now, being unchartered and losing their charters, how do you sell sponsorship? How do you keep your drivers? How do you keep your employees?” he noted, pointing to challenges like retaining talent amid uncertainty. 23XI, which expanded to three cars for 2025 by purchasing a charter from Stewart-Haas, has seen strong on-track results with Reddick’s and Wallace’s playoff berths, but the legal battle has dragged into 2025, with a trial set for December 1, 2025, after an initial injunction denial on November 8, 2024, though a subsequent injunction was granted on December 18, 2024.

Despite the hurdles, Harvick sees Jordan’s resolve. “I don’t know how frustrated Michael gets, but everything that we’ve heard him say is he’s in it for the long haul, but we’ll find out,” he added, acknowledging Jordan’s competitive history that includes pushing for NBA changes. Jordan himself stated in August 2025 that he’s fighting for the sport’s betterment, even as 23XI navigates sponsorship deals and driver contracts like Tyler Reddick‘s extension through 2027.