Kevin Harvick shared his perspective on why the Cookout Clash, held on Wednesday, devolved into chaos, attributing the disorder not to adverse winter weather or the tires designed for such conditions, but instead to the drivers’ reactions when faced with aggressive competition.
During a recent episode of his Happy Hour YouTube show, Harvick addressed concerns raised by co-host Kaitlyn Vincie regarding the officiating challenges encountered that evening.
“I think there were definitely some moments that could have been officiated smoother,” Harvick stated. “This event is so unique because we don’t count caution laps (and) we had rain and sleet in the second half, so when the things started happening and when the event started to become a wet-weather event, I just wish we weren’t so tentative — especially at the Clash.”
“I think there were definitely some moments that could have been officiated smoother,” Harvick stated. “This event is so unique because we don’t count caution laps (and) we had rain and sleet in the second half, so when the things started happening and when the event started to become a wet-weather event, I just wish we weren’t so tentative — especially at the Clash.”
Harvick expressed that NASCAR appears hesitant to utilize wet weather tires effectively. He recounted his own experiences driving with these specialized tires, indicating that he chose not to activate his windshield wipers as he felt they were ineffective.
“I’d rather just have the Rain-X wiped on the window,” he remarked. “It’s a tough decision but either we’re in the rain business or out of it. If we’re going to have rain tires, and it starts raining, and there’s not standing water, and there was not, we’re not going very fast.”
“I’d rather just have the Rain-X wiped on the window,” he remarked. “It’s a tough decision but either we’re in the rain business or out of it. If we’re going to have rain tires, and it starts raining, and there’s not standing water, and there was not, we’re not going very fast.”
The driver also voiced frustration over the delays experienced while waiting for the track to dry, impacting the broadcast schedule on FOX.
“If you’ve got the wet weather tires in the pits, give them five minutes, put the tires on, send them out on the racetrack and let’s go,” he urged. “We heard it from several of them — Kyle Larson, Chase Elliott, guys on the radio saying, ‘Let’s go.’”
“If you’ve got the wet weather tires in the pits, give them five minutes, put the tires on, send them out on the racetrack and let’s go,” he urged. “We heard it from several of them — Kyle Larson, Chase Elliott, guys on the radio saying, ‘Let’s go.’”
He added that the lengthy delays, which he estimated to be between 15 and 30 minutes, ultimately disrupted the broadcast and forced a transition to FS2. Harvick acknowledged concerns for driver safety but felt that the situation was manageable.
“There was also the spray, which was never an issue because we’re going so slow there,” he noted.
“There was also the spray, which was never an issue because we’re going so slow there,” he noted.
Regarding the numerous caution flags, Harvick placed the blame squarely on the drivers themselves, recalling his own experiences during the 2023 Clash when similar circumstances unfolded under dry conditions at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.
“With the double file restarts, I wish we could have gotten them a little more strung out,” he commented. “The only time they learn what’s happening with wet weather tires is during the race. They don’t know how far to drive it in the corner. They don’t know where to run on the race track.”
“With the double file restarts, I wish we could have gotten them a little more strung out,” he commented. “The only time they learn what’s happening with wet weather tires is during the race. They don’t know how far to drive it in the corner. They don’t know where to run on the race track.”
He illustrated the challenges faced, describing the middle lane as slippery due to rubber buildup, which led to sliding and spinning tires.
“Now, this particular situation turned into a shit show. I was in this situation at the LA Coliseum, where I was tired of getting run over, and you just start bulldozing people,” he said. “And that’s what this turned into. The drivers lost their minds and started bulldozing people because you’re constantly getting run into and the way to pass was to slide into the door of the guy next to you.”
“Now, this particular situation turned into a shit show. I was in this situation at the LA Coliseum, where I was tired of getting run over, and you just start bulldozing people,” he said. “And that’s what this turned into. The drivers lost their minds and started bulldozing people because you’re constantly getting run into and the way to pass was to slide into the door of the guy next to you.”
Harvick concluded that the track conditions and tires were not at fault; rather, the drivers’ frustrations led to aggressive behavior on the track.
“There was nothing wrong with the track or the tires and it was just the fact they were all tired of getting run into and turned into bulldozers,” he summarized.
“There was nothing wrong with the track or the tires and it was just the fact they were all tired of getting run into and turned into bulldozers,” he summarized.
