Both.
The answer is nominally both. Technically, the CARS Tour West Mission Bank 250 was a 150 lap Pro Late Model race that was actually a pair of 75-lap Pro Late Model races.
As Kevin Harvick was leading at the halfway point, the 2014 Cup Series champion and future Hall of Famer gets credited with a victory and his son, Keelan, leading at the end of Lap 150 gets credited with the other.
The inaugural Battle of the Harvicks was nominally a draw. For those wondering about the other 100 laps, that was dedicated to the other divisions that ran at Kern County Raceway on Saturday night.
Keelan started on pole for the first race and led to the competition caution on lap 40. Kevin restarted in second, but made the pass in Turns 1 and 2 to take the lead from his son. Kevin never looked back to claim the first checkered flag of the night.
“I just got to thank everybody for coming out tonight,” Kevin said after race one.
“The car [is] on rails right now. I’ve been eyeing that second groove since the last time I was here. My car is working really well in that second groove. I looks like everyone else is too loose to be up there.”
Even though Keelan scored the win in the second race, Kevin seemed to have the car to beat again. The field lined up for the start of the second lap based on their second lap in qualifying, so even though Kevin won the first race, Keelan lined up first, with Kevin second. Even so, Kevin took the lead on the restart, but not for long.
Buddy Shepherd took the lead from Kevin off of turn four, and kept the lead for the next 68 laps. Kevin stayed right on his bumper and appeared to have the faster car though. Jacob Gomes, who was in third, caught both the front runners and took the lead coming to six laps to go with a pass on the outside in Turns 3 and 4.
Shepherd dove back to the inside of Gomes and drifted up the track in turn two, running both him and Gomes wide, allowing Kevin to make a three-wide pass on the backstretch. Kevin took the lead, but would not stay there for long.
Gomes moved to Kevin’s inside into turn one with five laps left, but slid up the track into Kevin’s left-rear, sending them both spinning. Shepherd had nowhere to go and was also collected. Fourth place runner Jace Hale spun to miss the crash in Turn 1, allowing Keelan, who was fifth when the wreck happened, to take the lead.
Even though Keelan inherited the lead for the restart with six laps to go, it wasn’t smooth sailing for the youngster.
Kenna Mitchell restarted in second, and took the lead from the younger Harvick in turns three and four. Keelan crossed him over and moved to the inside in turn one and got his elbows out to take to lead back. From there Keelan was able to drive away to claim his first Pro Late Model win.
“I just can’t thank all the fans [enough] for coming out,” Keelan said after the race.
“I can’t thank all my sponsors [enough]. It wouldn’t be possible without them, [and] I can’t thank my Rackley W.A.R. guys enough. Let’s go!”
The father-son duo will be racing a few more times together throughout the year as well. The score stands at 1-1 right now.
