Keelan Harvick Joins Toyota TRD

 

► TOYOTA RACING NEWS

Toyota Racing Development just made one of the boldest moves in grassroots motorsports: signing 13-year-old late model phenom Keelan Harvick to a long-term development deal. If you love Toyota, racing, and stories about kids who show up and put the work in — this one's for you.

Over here at Battle Born Clothing in Yerington, NV — Nevada's go-to shop for custom Toyota apparel, screen-printed tees, and embroidered hats — we've been following Keelan's rise for a while now. The kid is the real deal, and Toyota knows it. Let's break down exactly why this deal matters, what it means for the future of NASCAR, and how this story lines up perfectly with the grit-and-grind culture we celebrate every day through our work.

27 Wins in 2024

38 Podiums in 2024

7 Age He First Raced

13 Age — TRD Signed

A Young Star Joins the Toyota Family

Toyota Racing Development is bringing Keelan into their elite driver development program — the same pipeline that's produced heavyweights like Christopher Bell and Corey Heim. That is not a minor detail. TRD doesn't hand out these deals. When they commit to a driver this young, it means they've seen something exceptional.

The program isn't just about seat time, either. At the Toyota Performance Center, Keelan gets access to comprehensive fitness training, mental conditioning, and the kind of holistic development that separates good drivers from generational ones. Kevin Harvick — who ironically spent his entire Cup career racing for Chevy and Ford, never Toyota — has been openly praising TRD's approach, calling it far more thorough than anything else he's seen.

"Toyota doesn't just build championships — they build champions." — Battle Born Clothing on Toyota's development-first philosophy

The Rise of a Third-Generation Racer

Keelan's backstory reads like something out of a racing novel. He first climbed into a go-kart at seven years old and immediately grabbed a pole position in his debut race — finishing eighth overall. That's the kind of natural instinct you can't teach.

Fast-forward to 2024: Keelan locked up the INEX Young Lions National Championship, backed by an absurd stat line of 27 wins and 38 podiums. Then, in 2025, he made history as the first driver ever to win Pro Late Model races in both the zMAX CARS Tour and CARS Tour West in the same calendar year. He also set records as the youngest winner of the Snowflake 125 and Florence Motor Speedway's Icebreaker.

Age 7 — First Race Pole position on debut. Finished 8th overall. The clock started ticking.

2024 Season INEX Young Lions National Champion. 27 wins. 38 podiums. NC Oval State title. Completely dominant.

2025 Season First driver in history to win Pro Late Model races in both the zMAX CARS Tour and CARS Tour West in the same year. Youngest Snowflake 125 winner ever.

2025 — Present Signs long-term deal with Toyota Racing Development. Joins the same program as Christopher Bell and Corey Heim.

2026 Forward Partners with Rackley W.A.R. and Kevin Harvick Inc. in the No. 62 Toyota Camry for a full nationwide late model schedule with ExxonMobil sponsorship.

Shifting Gears: Late Models in 2026

The next chapter starts in 2026, when Keelan partners with Rackley W.A.R. and Kevin Harvick Inc. for a packed late model schedule across the country. He'll be piloting the No. 62 Toyota Camry, backed by ExxonMobil in select races. Toyota's goal is clear: give him maximum reps in competitive cars while the team around him handles logistics and resources.

📋 NASCAR Age Eligibility Roadmap Age 16: Truck Series races on smaller oval tracks Age 17: NASCAR Xfinity Series eligibility Age 18: Full NASCAR Cup Series eligibility Keelan currently sits at 13. The clock is running — and Toyota intends to have him ready the moment each door opens.

There's a lot of road between now and Cup racing, but that's kind of the point. Toyota isn't rushing the timeline — they're building it deliberately. Smart teams develop talent the same way smart craftsmen approach their work: methodically, with quality at every step. That's a philosophy we understand deeply at Battle Born Clothing, where every screen-printed tee and embroidered cap goes through our in-house process on M&R 8-color presses before it ever ships.

What This Means for Toyota Culture

Toyota has built one of the most respected driver development pipelines in motorsports by investing in people — not just machines. Keelan Harvick is the next link in that chain. When you see a kid whose dad never drove for Toyota stepping into the TRD program, it tells you Toyota is winning based on merit and infrastructure, full stop.

For Toyota enthusiasts — the Tacoma drivers, the 4Runner trail runners, the Tundra work-truck crowd — this is your team putting its money where its mouth is. The manufacturer that builds the most dependable trucks on the planet is now investing the same long-game thinking into growing the next generation of talent. That's a story worth wearing on your chest.

Rep the Team That Builds Champions Custom Toyota apparel — embroidered hats, screen-printed tees, team gear — hand-crafted in Yerington, NV. No minimums. Same-day quotes. Ships nationwide. Shop Toyota Collection →

Born in Nevada. Built for the Grind.

At Battle Born Clothing, we've always believed the best stories come from people who refuse to wait their turn — who show up early, put in the work, and don't stop when it gets hard. Keelan Harvick started kart racing at seven years old and has been stacking wins ever since. That's not luck. That's the kind of relentless work ethic that Nevada respects.

Whether you're following Keelan's rise through the Toyota ranks, building out your off-road Tacoma for the next trail run, or just repping Nevada pride through the gear you wear — we've got you covered. Custom embroidered Richardson 112 hats, screen-printed Toyota tees, team bundles with no minimums. Everything runs through our shop in Yerington, where the desert keeps us honest and the quality never dips.

Drop your thoughts in the comments: Who's your pick for the next Toyota Cup Series champion? We've got a feeling we'll be saying "Keelan Harvick" for a long time to come.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is Keelan Harvick? Keelan Harvick is the 13-year-old son of NASCAR legend Kevin Harvick. He started karting at age seven, won the 2024 INEX Young Lions National Championship with 27 wins and 38 podiums, and in 2025 became the first driver to win Pro Late Model races in both the zMAX CARS Tour and CARS Tour West in the same season. He recently signed a long-term deal with Toyota Racing Development.

What is Toyota Racing Development (TRD)? Toyota Racing Development (TRD) is Toyota's motorsports division responsible for manufacturing racing engines, components, and managing elite driver development programs across NASCAR, off-road, and sports car racing. Notable TRD development graduates include Christopher Bell and Corey Heim. TRD is headquartered in Salisbury, North Carolina.

When can Keelan Harvick race in NASCAR? NASCAR age requirements mandate Keelan must be 16 to compete in Truck Series races on smaller ovals, 17 for the Xfinity Series, and 18 for the Cup Series. In 2026, he'll run a full late model schedule with Rackley W.A.R. and Kevin Harvick Inc. in the No. 62 Toyota Camry.

Where can I buy custom Toyota racing apparel? Battle Born Clothing in Yerington, Nevada offers custom Toyota enthusiast apparel including embroidered Richardson 112 trucker caps, laser-engraved leather patch hats, and screen-printed Toyota tees. All production is done in-house on M&R 8-color presses with no minimum order requirement. We ship nationwide — same-day quotes available at shopbattlebornclothing.com.

What Toyota models does Battle Born Clothing support? We create custom apparel for 4Runner, Tacoma, Tundra, Land Cruiser, FJ40, TRD, and general Toyota enthusiast designs. Whether you're a trail runner, overland camper, or track-day Toyota fan, we've got you covered with screen printing, embroidery, and leather patch options — no minimum orders.