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KHI Management enters sponsorship agreement with Southwest Tour

Kevin Harvick will sponsor additional short track initiatives in 2019 …

Kevin Harvick’s continued push to give back to grassroots racing will take him back to his personal roots in 2019.

For much of the past calendar year, the 2014 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series champion has taken his stature as one of stock car racing’s biggest stars to spotlight numerous initiatives within short track racing.

The mission began after his victory at Phoenix Raceway in March when he, crew chief Rodney Childers and Tony Stewart expressed a desire for NASCAR to reconnect with grassroots motorsport fans. He then entered the K&N Pro Series West race at Kern County the next weekend, praising the likes of Derek Kraus and Hailie Deegan for their efforts against him.

He then sponsored the Stafford Motor Speedway SK Modified division through KHI Management, even challenging Kyle Busch to a match race at some point down the road.

HARVICK: “It’s our responsibility to help short track racing..”

Now KHI has agreed to a similar sponsorship program for the SPEARS SRL Southwest Tour — the regions premiere Super Late Model touring division.

For Harvick, this latest endeavor has a personal tie. Harvick turned his first full-sized stock car laps at Mesa Marin Raceway, which was owned by the same operating group that manages the Southwest Tour.

Harvick’s career moved forward, from weekly Late Models to the Southwest Tour, a big break came to Harvick when he was offered the opportunity to drive for Wayne Spears (current title sponsor of the SRL) in both the NASCAR K&N Pro Series and the NASCAR Truck Series.

Now he wants to give back to the drivers pursuing a similar trail.

“I’ve had a long-standing relationship with west coast racing, so to be able to give back to the Southwest Tour Series and its competitors on a weekly basis means a lot,” Harvick said in a statement. “Wayne and Connie Spears were instrumental in getting my racing career started, along with the Collins family. To be a part of their series that has given west coast racers a place is something that KHI Management is excited to be a part of.”

READ MORE: Chandler Smith inks deal with Kyle Busch Motorsports

For 2019, KHI Management will be a “Winner’s Bonus” award presenter, insuring that each SPEARS SRL Southwest Tour Series event awards its winner a minimum of $5,000. KHI Management will also payout a bonus to the leader at the half-way point of each race, and another bonus to the 13th place finisher of each 2019 event.

“It goes without saying how special it is to have Kevin lend his support and be associated with the series,” stated Larry Collins of the SRL. “Wayne (Spears) gave Kevin a great opportunity back in the day, and even before that, Kevin drove to his first championship at my family’s racetrack, so this is really a cool deal for a lot of reasons.”

KHI Management decals will also be on the front fenders of all the Southwest Tour Series cars at the upcoming, March 23rd championship opener at Irwindale Speedway.

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Matt Weaver is the owner and founder of Short Track Scene. Weaver grew up in the sport, having raced himself before becoming a reporter in college at the University of South Alabama. He also has extensive experience covering NASCAR, IndyCar and Dirt Sprint Cars.

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