One of California's most unique racing playgrounds, Kevin Harvick's Kern Raceway opened in 2013. Located in Bakersfield, the track was built about 30 miles west of the former Mesa Marin Raceway, another half-mile paved oval that held races from 1977 through 2005, including nine NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series events. In late 2023, the track was purchased by Tim and Lisa Huddleston, owners of Irwindale Speedway & Event Center, and renamed Kevin Harvick's Kern Raceway in honor of the NASCAR legend and Bakersfield native.
Kern Raceway's paved oval features progressive banking in the corners, starting at 12 degrees at the bottom of the track and rising to 14 degrees at the top, as well as eight degrees of banking on the straightaways. Turns 1 and 2 are raised slightly higher than the straightaways and Turns 3 and 4. Alongside the paved oval, which is a regular host of the ARCA Menards Series West and other stock car events, Kern Raceway also has a third-mile, asymmetrical clay oval for sprint car and midget racing. Turns 1 and 2 on Kern Raceway’s dirt oval are tighter than Turns 3 and 4.