Former NASCAR champion and current podcaster Kevin Harvick fired back this week at ESPN personality Stephen A. Smith after Smith doubled down on claims that drivers are not athletes.
Smith sparked backlash last week when he said NASCAR drivers “don’t count” as athletes during a debate, and he reiterated the stance days later.
Harvick, speaking on his podcast, called the take uninformed and attention-seeking. He said critics who “don’t know anything about racing” should keep their opinions to themselves and argued Smith was chasing clicks.
The former Cup Series star also pointed to the sport’s physical demands, noting drivers can burn thousands of calories during a race — comparable to marathon runners — to underscore that NASCAR competitors are elite athletes.
The exchange is the latest in a growing backlash from within motorsports as drivers and analysts continue to push back on Smith’s comments.
