NASCAR legend Kevin Harvick issues brutal warning to struggling Cup Series stars

NASCAR legend Kevin Harvick has warned struggling Cup Series drivers that if they don't put in the work on the simulator, they're going to get left behind.

Although he didn't specifically reference anyone by name, Harvick claimed that the stars currently struggling to perform so far this season are the ones who do not spend as much time in the simulator as some of their rivals.

The 2014 champion made the comments on this week's edition of Kevin Harvick's Happy Hour, and used Tyler Reddick as an example of why the point he was making holds up.

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Harvick: Struggling Cup stars aren't using simulator

Discussing the current landscape in the Cup Series, Harvick questioned how drivers who elect not to use the simulator as much are going to keep up with their competitors who are doing so and gaining an edge.

“A lot of these guys that are struggling are the guys that don’t spend any time in the simulator,” Harvick said on his Happy Hour show.

“How are you going to fix it, fellas? Tell me how you’re going to fix your car if you don’t go to the simulator,” the 2014 champion continued.

Asked if it was a complacency thing and why drivers wouldn’t tap into an extra resource by one of his co-hosts, Kaitlyn Vincie, Harvick replied: “Well, I think a lot of guys get frustrated in the simulator to be able to go in there week after week after week.

“But being in there week after week allows things to be developed around you, especially when you’re in a new scenario where you have new aero packages [and] you have new tires at a lot of these race tracks.

“If you’re not in there scaling those tires and you’re just leaving it to the sim guys to be able to do that, in my opinion, it’s going to take you longer to catch up.”

Tyler Reddick example

Harvick continued, using 23XI star Tyler Reddick as a prime example of the simulator paying off, with the driver having won four of the opening six races of the season so far.

Harvick’s other co-host, Mamba Smith, was set to interview him, but he couldn’t on this particular day due to the 23XI star being in the simulator ahead of Martinsville.

“Time out - where did you say Reddick was today?” Harvick asked Smith. “He’s at the simulator,” Smith replied.

Harvick continued: “The guy that’s won four out of the first six races is in the simulator. Point made.”