“I Saved Your Life” – Joe Gibbs Breaks Silence on Kevin Harvick’s Heated Second That Went Too Far

NASCAR thrives on wrecks and impassioned encounters. The 2025 season has already seen its wholesome share of flaring tempers, with veterans turning towards some offended younger males. Nevertheless, a number of drivers nonetheless maintain hallowed standing within the rowdy realm. A number of names roll off your tongue naturally, like Kyle Busch, Brad Keselowski, and Kevin Harvick. Nevertheless, Harvick would have confronted a harmful scenario if not for Joe Gibbs.

Kevin Harvick retired on the finish of 2023, bidding adieu to a wealthy profession of 60 Cup Collection wins and settling down right into a broadcasting function as a revered veteran. But nearly 20 years in the past, Harvick had a fame for ruffling feathers. At one level, he went too far, however unbeknownst to him to today, it was Joe Gibbs who saved him!

Joe Gibbs acted as a mediator

Till the time he was alive, Coy Gibbs was a lot beloved in NASCAR. The son of Joe Gibbs was a fixture of the previous soccer coach’s racing enterprise within the sport. Coy additionally dabbled in racing; throughout 2000-2003, he made 58 Craftsman Truck begins, netting a greatest end of runner-up in Texas. It was at the moment he brushed towards Kevin Harvick, an offended younger man.

Harvick had moved into Richard Childress Racing quickly after Dale Earnhardt’s tragic dying and tried his greatest to stay as much as The Intimidator’s title. At one time, he made a rival out of Coy Gibbs in a 2002 Martinsville Truck Collection race. Each exchanged retaliatory blows, and Harvick landed a $50,000 tremendous and a race suspension. Harvick wished to confront Gibbs, and NASCAR officers stopped him. However Joe Gibbs says there was extra to this story.

In a recent episode of ‘Kevin Harvick’s Happy Hour’, Joe Gibbs slipped out an element unknown till now. With Kevin Harvick’s leaner construction, the 2014 Cup Collection champion wouldn’t have been in a position to deal with Coy Gibbs in a battle, as Joe Gibbs defined: “I’m going to let you know the sincere fact, I saved your life. You don’t know this…’trigger you bought into it that day…I keep in mind this; you place that truck proper up towards NASCAR, that didn’t go over nicely. And Coy, when he obtained out of there, Coy stated, ‘I’m gonna get him sometime.’ I stated, ‘We are able to’t be doing this in a sport.’ I don’t know who would have received that battle… I might put the percentages on Coy as a result of he outweighs you by a 100 kilos.”

Properly, issues would have turned out in a different way if Gibbs Sr. had not stepped in. Perhaps Kevin Harvick would have improved his wrecking habits, as he went on to enter brawls with Ricky Rudd in 2003, touchdown a $35,000 tremendous, after which Matt Kenseth in 2004, which led to a $25,000 tremendous. However, Joe Gibbs, Harvick, and Coy Gibbs maintained a enjoyable relationship.

Gibbs stated, “I keep in mind that these early days, I used to joke with y’all. I keep in mind he would give you humorous feedback about different drivers. And then you definitely backed off for some time, and I keep in mind strolling as much as you and I stated, ‘Hey, what’s the deal? You get a lobotomy or one thing? Come on, let’s get again with the humorous stuff.”

The humorous stuff most likely muffled Coy Gibbs’ rowdy aspect from getting at Kevin Harvick. Nevertheless, Joe Gibbs quickly had two extra drivers on his group who had been a lot more durable to deal with.

Expertise fueled by ardour

Properly, Coy Gibbs toned down his mood by listening to his father. However Joe Gibbs couldn’t create the identical influence on Tony Stewart and Kyle Busch for a time. Stewart, aka Smoke, had an eclectic fame. From making pranks on different drivers to doing hysterical business appearances, Stewart’s vibrant character typically lacked a leash. Nevertheless, he ultimately scaled down his feelings with the assistance of his spouse, Leah Pruett. Then, Kyle Busch‘s notoriety on racetracks isn’t any much less well-known. From upsetting Kevin Harvick by wrecking his driver in a Truck race to touchdown a fistfight with Joey Logano, Busch was referred to as Rowdy for a cause. But Gibbs emphasised that every one this fueled their ardour much more.

Tony Stewart owns three Cup Collection championships, together with titles in varied collection like IndyCar, IROC, and so forth. Kyle Busch continues to be the winningest driver in NASCAR with 233 victories. Therefore, Joe Gibbs harassed that their rowdy feelings helped their abilities: “Each of them, I actually appreciated their expertise, the best way they went after it for us. Each of them, like for those who get Kyle, he’s obtained an ideal humorousness. You get him in a social setting and stuff, you’ll snicker quite a bit. However each of them actually proficient, so clearly, that was nice for us. And you already know, we, once in a while, there have been some challenges. However actually, they helped construct our race group, they actually did. I appreciated each of them a lot as a result of, you already know, they received a ton.”

Clearly, Joe Gibbs has a penchant for roping in feisty racers and calming them down. Irrespective of how wild they’re, such stories enrich his team’s legacy. What do you consider Joe Gibbs’ journey as a group proprietor? Tell us within the feedback!