EXCLUSIVE: Steve O’Donnell on Carson Hocevar vs. Ryan Blaney, The Chase Return & NASCAR's Future

NASCAR CEO Steve O’Donnell joins Kevin Harvick on Harvick Happy Hour for an exclusive, wide-ranging discussion on the current state and future of stock car racing. Following a heated Bristol race, O’Donnell addresses the intense altercations on track—including why NASCAR chose not to penalize Carson Hocevar or Ryan Blaney after their post-race fight. Plus, O’Donnell shares insights into his early tenure as NASCAR’s Chief Executive, key takeaways from his first 90 days, the return of The Chase, upcoming schedule innovations, and what fans can expect for the sport heading toward 2032. Chapters: 00:00 - Intro 01:04 - Impression of Bristol 01:39 - Reaction to Blaney vs. Hocevar Fight & No Penalties 03:46 - NASCAR Garage & Competition Perception on Calls 04:46 - Expectations for NASCAR’s Future 06:19 - Takeaways from Daytona Rules Package 07:17 - Future of Short Track Racing 09:01 - Biggest Surprise as CEO 10:46 - NASCAR Development Pipeline 13:12 - Updates for Practice, Qualifying & Testing 14:09 - Evolution of the NASCAR Schedule 17:26 - Engaging with Other Racing Series 18:43 - Steve’s Go-To Person: Mike Helton 23:34 - Days of Thunder 2 24:18 - Early Reaction to The Chase Format 26:18 - Transparency with NASCAR Fans