Kevin Harvick expands his NASCAR TV role for 2017

Fox Sports announced Wednesday that Harvick, the 2014 champion of what is now the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series, will serve as a race analyst for eight NASCAR events in 2017 on Fox, beginning with the Feb. 25 Xfinity Series season opener at Daytona International Speedway.

Harvick will also contribute as an analyst on Fox Sports 1’s NASCAR Race Hub daily show on occasion, joining a rotation of Cup series drivers and crew chiefs.

“I really enjoy calling races,” Harvick said in a statement. “I enjoy the perspective of sitting up there and trying to figure out what’s going on.

“I also want to be a part of watching these young guys come up through the NASCAR Camping World Truck and Xfinity Series and have the experience of having been in the booth when they raced because, ultimately, it’s something I want to do down the road when I’m done driving.”

Harvick said his lone race as an analyst at Daytona in 2016 wasn’t sufficient.

“One wasn’t enough, and I think we’ll do several NASCAR Race Hub shows this year, so it will be fun to express my opinion from the booth and from the studio,” he said.

Aside from Daytona, Harvick is also is scheduled to be an analyst in the Fox Sports booth at Phoenix, Bristol, Talladega and Pocono, as well as Truck races at Kansas, Eldora and Talladega.

Harvick was the first Cup driver to debut as part of the on-air rotation for Fox Sports’ inaugural year of Xfinity Series coverage in 2015.

“In his first few minutes in the Fox NASCAR booth at Daytona in 2015, Kevin Harvick quickly proved himself a natural as an analyst,” said Eric Shanks, Fox Sports President, COO and Executive Producer.

“He offers thought-provoking analysis each time he speaks, and does so in a concise and entertaining manner. We are thrilled to have him back this season for an expanded schedule of races.”