Kalab Harrison
𝙎𝙝𝙤𝙧𝙩 𝙏𝙧𝙖𝙘𝙠 𝙎𝙥𝙤𝙩𝙡𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩
They always say there's a time and there's a place. The "time and place" may not always be known, and there are so many ingredients that need to come together. After years of learning from the VanAvery Racing Team, Kalab Harrison felt the time and place was right to take on the challenge himself. He became a race car driver.
VanAvery Racing has set the bar for many decades in Southwest Michigan racing, and for Harrison, the opportunity to work with the race team provided him with the tools and resources to absorb it all as he waited to emerge himself. Whether he changed tires, added fuel to the cars, wrenched side-by-side on the cars--everything was an opportunity to see how to compete at a high level.
In 2025, Harrison raced at Kalamazoo for the first time on July 18th, but the night did not quite go as planned. No sweat. He's seen this before. A great game plan doesn't always produce the desired outcome, but there's no time for quit. It also doesn't mean the game plan wasn't right. There's a time and a place for everything.
One week later, once again at Kalamazoo, Harrison qualified even faster than the first week, and in his second race but first official green to checkered run, it was Harrison who was the first car to cross the finish line under the checkered flag. Like so many times with VanAvery Racing, winners in many races of their own, Harrison this time felt the feeling as a driver himself rather than a crew member. It doesn't change the excitement other than it enhances it--this was 𝘩𝘪𝘴 win. 𝘏𝘪𝘴 moment.
Harrison has a completely new car and design for 2026 as he looks to compete full time as a driver, and one of his goals is to earn Rookie of the Year honors. If 2025 was any sort of preview of what potential Harrison has, he could instantly be a driver to watch in 2026 after two Top 10s--one win--in four outings last year.
He watched what it took to compete at a high level and succeed for years as he helped his dad and the VanAvery Team, and now he has a full season ahead of him to make his mark.
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