NASCAR legend Harry Gant reflects on career with Kyle Petty | Coffee with Kyle | Motorsports on NBC

Former NASCAR driver Harold 'Handsome Harry' Gant grabs a cup of Joe with Kyle Petty in his hometown of Taylorsville, NC to talk about his upbringing in life and in racing. #NBCSports #NASCAR #CoffeewithKyle
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NASCAR legend Harry Gant reflects on career with Kyle Petty | Coffee with Kyle | Motorsports on NBC
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[@dralbora]

I love that it feels like Harry Gant has never aged. Always such a gentleman.

[@MrHondaguy1]

Don’t think there is a fan out there that doesn’t like Harry Gant, he’s just a class act!

[@DixytheGoat9]

He should have won a championship

[@covid19survivor93]

I don't Just kidding 😀😀

[@CJODell12]

@@DixytheGoat9 If NASCAR had the original playoff format back in 1991 (10 race shootout, no elimination rounds), Harry Gant would have actually won the 1991 championship thanks to that streak in September 1991.

[@87Jaws]

I met him when I was 13 in his own steak house in Taylorsville nc. my dad told him I was a big dale Earnhardt fan and loved Nascar. Harry shook my hand and gave me a big smile and said glad to know you are a Nascar fan. LMFAO 😂. Looking back dad could have at least said I liked Skoal bandit. F.y.i. my actual bought a skoal bandit van that was owned by Harry Gant or the race team. Was Skoal bandit colors and had the logo inside on certain thing inside.

[@shawdowsanddust5301]

Absolutely. I was an Earnhardt fan first, but honestly I liked just about all the drivers back in those days. Just about all of them were impossible to dislike.

[@TucsonHippy]

When I was in the Air Force we used to fly out of Asheville Airport with our helicopters. We had heard harry and Dave Marcus shared a shop in Asheville so we went looking for it and we found it. We go in and look around and there was Harry. He welcomed us showed us around and answered all of our questions and we were having a ball. He apologized but said he had to cut it short because they were getting ready to move out for a race but told us to come back anytime. We asked if we could put our squadron sticker on his car before he left, He said he couldn't because of sponsors but he said I can do this. and slapped our sticker on his dash, he said if I get a camera they will see your sticker. Man is a total class act.

[@1983tmb]

not just 4 cup wins in a row in 1991...sweeps of both Busch Series and Cup Series races at Richmond and Dover in September he also won the Busch race October 5th in Charlotte(his 3rd Busch series win in a row) He was getting it done in two series on a regular basis which is incredible

[@MichaelJones1527]

Man, doesn't Harry Gant look young to be 79 years old. He's a great guy for the sport. Glad to see he's doing so good.

[@dandelly4269]

My favorite Harry Gant memory was when Harry had his winning streak in September the one year ESPN went to do a story on Harry Gant. Harry would win a race on Sunday and be putting a new roof on a house, raising a barn or putting up a fence the next day. He looked fresh as a daisy working on his projects.....He still looks and sounds great !! Miss those days of the late 70's to early 90's.....GREAT JOB KYLE !!

[@Fania54]

OK....this is a BIG deal. I have never seen Harry give more than a few minutes interview. If that. This is the biggest one ever by far, and Harry tells a great story. I was hoping this would happen. Way to go Kyle!

[@jasonbradham2193]

He used to own the steakhouse right close to this ice cream shop their in here. He had go karts behind the steakhouse we all used to run em on weekends

[@dogerrit]

dale jr download next week cant wait for it

[@AC4892]

check out Nascar Legends Reunion on here, 4 parts each an hour long

[@Yyyyyy5]

That’s why when you mention Nascar greats it’s easy to mention Earnhardt but Harry Gant is one of Nascars greatest drivers.

[@michaelbayne2315]

Most positive NASCAR experience was meeting Harry at the 2000 Winston. He was signing autographs, and as a kid, he was 10 feet tall. Such a nice person. Glad to see he's still around.

[@michaellawrence5717]

good Lord! It looks like Harry could jump in a car now and go win races. I remember that September that was one fabulous driving job. Miss guys like him thanks Harry For The Memories.

[@jasonbradham2193]

Mr. September

[@kennethsmith8968]

it looks like he could still win races?.i know he could.

[@Fetterkuss1983]

He literally looks like he hasn’t aged a day since those days!

[@98755785]

He looks younger than Kyle

[@fredwilliams1214]

Amen. Those days are gone. Racing is just not the same anymore.

[@deanlabbe9952]

In the days before Harry was a cup driver he would come up to the northeast and run at Vermont's Thunder Road and Maine's Oxford Plains Speedway 3 or 4 times a year. Always a great guy on and off the track. I was surprised he didn't tell Kyle he had a roofing job to go do after they had coffee.

[@garyjones3625]

Excellent post… I was a big Gant fan. Gant had a great 1991 , Andy Petree and him seemed to click. Interesting info, I didn’t know Gant ran the northeast at all other than going to New Hampshire in Cup. Again great post !!!

[@BigEightiesNewWave]

wow that SKOAL car looks better than today's cars.

[@robertforrest9021]

They were called STOCK CARS for a reason

[@jcearnhardt393]

I know harry only won 18 races but anybody that was a fan in early 90's even late 80s tell you that sucker was tough. Gant was one helluva race car driver. Hall of famer

[@rlkoller8606]

no doubt

[@jasonbradham2193]

Skoal bandit

[@TonyWud]

Drive all day. Take off his helmet. Not a drop of sweat. Always heard he hung sheet rock during the week in his early days

[@allanmccullough8550]

@@TonyWud I think he roofed houses to stay in shape.

[@rewolfe333]

definitely the toughest physically that ever sat in a race car. Handsome Harry....( not a gray hair on his head ) Earnhardt was one tough customer....but Harry was one tough roofer ! What a guy !!!! and knew when it was time to get out. Thankfully never got hurt....God bless him .....my idol

[@jamiesmith143]

I have always liked Harry Gant. He is a throwback and a class act!

[@Probowler37]

Great to see Harry Gant doing well after all these years. One of the classic old school drivers!

[@davidcarpenter9020]

Harry Gant is a class act i used to love to watch that man drive a race car one of the all time greats hands down

[@ZekenStreak]

I believe Harry has a lot more to say so there should be a part 2.

[@pearlcrystalbarkley2647]

When he won the 4 in a row that sept. He also won 3 Busch races, so actually he won 7 races in a row in both series.

[@kylemcnab927]

Pearl & Crystal Barkley at 51 too. Pretty crazy looking back. I think in 91 he won5 cup and 5 Busch races. Impressive career

[@raymondandersen172]

Smooth

[@covid19survivor93]

True

[@casualobserver2305]

Harry in the Skoal car...my all time favorite. This guy was the real deal.

[@DeBa1226]

I could listen to these old stories all night long! Kyle total class act, a real pro, and Gant is an outstanding story teller.

[@edrasich5949]

My favorite NASCAR driver. he raced clean. I met him at Pocono one year and asked if he was still riding his Harley. He said turn around , and there was the bike! my favorite saying of his was "I'm an OK race car driver, but I'm a great carpenter!" Thanks for the memories ,Harry!

[@ThePrimusSucks]

Harry has to be 75 years old by now, I mean he was the ageless wonder in the early 90s. The guy just does not age!!!

[@ThePrimusSucks]

I just looked it up, that man is 79 years old. Wow

[@BigEightiesNewWave]

he's a Vampire !

[@ThePrimusSucks]

@kragseven Ya, I said that

[@jasonbradham2193]

@@ThePrimusSucks cool guy I've met him

[@boobybird89plays20]

Hardly looks 60. Gant has aged well and has a voice I could listen to for hours, he just has the voice of what a race driver should sound like.

[@Jelsick]

That Skoal Bandit car is one of the best looking cars ever.

[@robertmcgrath2972]

Jelsick, next to the 1st Goodwrench Black car I this this is the best.

[@kingofhollywood4706]

I couldn't agree more, loved that green 33!

[@BerryM702]

Agree, this car probably top 20 all time, iconic. Better than most if not all of this era.

[@SouthernSkeptic]

The old Nascar drivers are the nicest guys in sports

[@SnappinTigers]

Awesome job Kyle. Harry! Thanks for the memories.

[@hughsnyder891]

Great to see Handsome Harry again. He is one of my favorite drivers . There was just something about his good nature that I wanted to cheer for him 😊

[@jerrysantos6484]

This was a beautiful interview. Thank you Kyle Petty.

[@UnkleJustin]

Great seeing Handsome Harry!! What a driver and man. A true legend!!

[@oN3xShOtxkilL]

There’s a reason why he was nicknamed “handsome” harry gant. Dude hasn’t aged at all

[@stormytuesday9902]

Thanks Kyle for keeping the history alive! I can't tell you how much watching your show means to me. I just don't have the words. Helping me remember the things I have forgotten. Thank you very much!

[@scottg9855]

During his 91 streak is when I became a race fan. He was the first driver I ever met at Michigan in 93.

[@nascar2428]

Thank you Kyle!! Handsome Harry Gant talks for 20 some minutes, AWESOME

[@smilingbob6708]

Harry is favorite driver of all time with Earnhardt a close second. I lived in Lenoir in 91 and we would run into him once in a while and he always would make time to stop and talk.

[@granddad-mv5ef]

Oh I am so glad to have watched this. It was like he never left, and truly I wish we could all go back!

[@rewolfe333]

He probably could....and put the current ones to shame.

[@sunshinecoolwater3960]

I miss seeing Harry on the track. He needs a grandstand in Martinsville named for him 🏁

[@robertforrest9021]

Reopen Wilkesboro and name it after Him

[@TheGreatIndoors1979]

Call it the Gantstand.

[@johnharding91]

Loved watching the 33 car! Thanks Harry and Kyle

[@tallmike6598]

Harry is still one cool cat..

[@bolickmj]

I grew up watching Harry and Tommy Houston battle at Hickory Speedway. Tommy in the 95 and Harry in that iconic orange 77. Some of the greatest memories of my childhood. I was a diehard Bandit fan while he raced Cup. Lots of nicknames. Mr Second Place for a long, long time before he finally broke through. He may have not visited victory lane as much Earnhardt, Waltrip, etc, but they would all tell you he was one of the best out there and always raced them with respect. He was the first to find that high line at Dover and wear everyone out with it.

[@BigEightiesNewWave]

high-line-Harry in the Oldsmobile ! Great time in NASCAR.

[@jasonferguson1167]

Harry Gant ..Thank You for Being a Great All Around Guy !

[@ronmiller682]

Absolutely love Harry Gant and love to meet him and just talk. What a great time that would be.

[@backslider893inthebeerjoin7]

Love this interview and Harry. Got his autograph at Darlington back in 93. Skoal Bandit!

[@j.7584]

So awesome glad y’all could get Harry on the show he is one of my all time favorite drivers.

[@jasonferguson1167]

Gotta get him to drive the pace car next Daytona 500 , and free skoal to everbody whether they chaw or not.

[@Ed-pn9id]

Handsome Harry. The King , Silver Fox , those were the days.

[@BaumannJA]

Harry Gant.... Man I Love that guy. He was always a favorite. That Green and White Skoal Bandit Oldsmobile is a Forgotten Classic. Harry is still so Low Key, yet he was always a contender back then. Got to meet him at Colorado National Speedway and it was quite an Honor. Thank You for all the Great Memories Harry! A true "Southern Gentleman."

[@rewolfe333]

A true southern gentleman .....DEFINITELY always a contender. & never put anyone in the fence just to win.

[@charliezicolillo]

Great Show AGAIN Kyle.

[@bobbybutler4199]

Great interview with a historic driver - loved every second :) !

[@michaelscott1862]

I absolutely LOVED Handsome Harry Gant as a driver when I was a kid. 33 Skoal Bandit.... absolutely iconic racecar. Sidebar, he doesn't look like he's aged a bit! Wonderful interview!

[@mikeskidmore6754]

Great NASCAR History Lesson .. I remember the Skoal Bandit very distinctive car.. but I didn't really know that Hal Needham was the Team Owner. ?? and that they brought in high tech on board computers..

[@ronpoteat6309]

What a great story! I remember Harry in that 77 coming to Huntsville Speedway in the LMS Championship days. Thank Kyle for doing these

[@reginakilgore5338]

How does Harry look EXACTLY the same as the day I met him in 1984???? I'll never forget how sweet he's been to me. I don't think he forgets anyone.

[@BuddWolf]

Damm I miss guys like Harry, Dale, Darrell, Neil, Texas Terry, the Allison’s, Cale, King Richard, Tim Richmond, etc. etc..... Now those were racers.

[@tomthomson9354]

Always liked Harry! That string of races in September is my favorite memory of him. Great guy!

[@lisawilson5662]

Absolutely my favorite NASCAR driver!!! Love Love Love him!!! So glad to see this interview!!! :) :) :)

[@Flyboy737]

Great interview with Harry Gant my all time favorite driver! If my memory serves me correctly, Harry had 27 second place finishes in Winston Cup along with his 18 Wins!

[@craigparker3434]

Thank you so much for having Harry on.

[@TheGamer-ux2lr]

Harry Gant. My favorite NASCAR driver ever. God Bless, Harry!

[@billstev100]

Great job Kyle.....Harry, thanks for everything you are and did for the sport!

[@pvillehick67]

Harry Gant-A man with Class.

[@crazyj336]

That has to be one of the best interviews I've watched. Those movies were so much fun to watch as a kid how could you not pull for Harry Gant back in the day!

[@hankhenninger3330]

Great interview Kyle. Harry was one of my favorite drivers. I still wear his t-shirts

[@stephendall2329]

Harry Gant the Scoal Bandit #33 was my favorite driver. Saw him race at South Boston back in my Army Days at Fort Lee, a real professional and the kind of driver that built NASCAR. Not many like him around anymore.

[@superbird4351]

Harry Gant hasn’t aged a lot since the 90’s. I’m just really impressed.

[@ourwayband2549]

Great to see Harry ..He does look like he still do any thing he wants.I hope he is getting to do just that!

[@_RT___]

I ran into Harry in Taylorsville in 2016 and we talked for about 30 minutes about some of his old racing stories, his corvette, him working on a horse farm. Such a nice guy.

[@AbramSari]

That was great! Harry was always one of my favorite drivers. Class act. Clean driver.

[@PsychedelicGuy]

Wow it’s unreal if you look at pics of Harry when he retired to now he almost looks YOUNGER. He definitely has found the fountain of youth. Sadly I only was old enough to become a NASCAR fan in 1994, his final year. But he was one of the underrated superstars of the sport in the 80s and 90s who had he drove for a bigger team he’d probably have double the wins as he does. Extremely likable guy, like he doesn’t have an enemy in the stands or behind the wheel. We need drivers like Harry more than ever.

[@BrendanTheGent]

Became a nascar fan in 94 also. Do you remember when Mr. Gant drove the 94 Mcdonalds car when bill elliott broke his hip in 96?

[@PsychedelicGuy]

@@BrendanTheGent I do! And his short lived Truck career

[@kylemcnab927]

Dude this guy has aged incredibly. Looks better than a lot of 50 year olds. Dad was a fan of him and Earnhardt.

[@larrywt656]

I believe ol' Harry could STILL get in a car and show 'em how it's done today!

[@ronniepuckett4293]

Handsome Harry Gant will always be the gentleman of Nascar. Love Harry Gant

[@charlesrobey796]

Handsome Harry Gant,very down to earth great interview.....

[@user-nx8pe6pc3h]

Harry Gant and the Sloal Bandit car are what got me watching NASCAR.

[@kevinritchie9227]

Wow...Loved his story of the Skoal Bandit! Another great interview Kyle!

[@shawnloftin]

Handsome Harry is 79 years young. Will turn 80, February 10th 1940 BD.

[@jimbosc]

Dang he looks like he could still drive! Handsome Harry indeed.

[@timberace77]

Awesome interview! Takes me back to the MRN broadcasts back in September of '91 as Gant covered the field.

[@brianbice2819]

Harry Gant is such an awesome man. Very fan friendly and willing to have a conversation.

[@snappy452]

Superb. Would love to see a longer interview. Gant oozes easy charisma.

[@andrewrcmadwilkinson6999]

HARRY IS AN ICON NICE GUY GREAT DRIVER REMEMBER MARTINSVILLE 1991 BFA

[@505197]

Harry crossed my mind lately, and I was wondering how he's been doing. He's 79 years old and obviously he's doing great. Harry was one of my favorites back in the day, it's wonderful to see this interview, and Kyle does a bang up job doing the interviews I've seen. Thank you Kyle for a great show.

[@tammyferguson2707]

Harry Gant is one of the nicest persons you would ever want to meet !!! How you see him here is exactly like he is in person !!!

[@larryburwell8550]

harry was a great driver and its hard to think hes 80 years old now but he is. great job kyle. he has been on greg moores radio show a few times and hes a great interview always.

[@highcentered4736]

Very cool interview Kyle. Harry was my favorite all those years ago. Was a real thrill to get to meet him once at California Speedway. He was every bit as nice and kind as I'd always imagined him to be. A real gentleman on the track and off. He graciously autographed a T-shirt for me that I've kept to this day. Still in the bag it came in. It may be worthless but it's one of my favorite treasures.

[@daveweaver7724]

You are the man, Harry! Watched you at MIS for years!

[@wendellfowler3413]

I always liked Harry Gant. I always considered him as the Gentleman of Racing.

[@TheCanadianBubba]

Thank you for so many great Sundays Mr.Gant ! Thanks for bringing this to us Mr.Petty !

[@lifewithlani2637]

Harry Gant is definitely a class act. I remember when he was called "High-side Harry" because he ran up near the fence so often.

[@r563]

High wide and handsome.

[@wan2run]

Harry Gant is the man! Great interview!

[@jessicaloftis4192]

Love handsome harry my man knows him and his daughter well they use to play music at his daughters house 👍 he is truly a great guy

[@gabrielbarboza5620]

Harry gant is such cool dude ..classic southern gentleman..met him once very nice man...

[@af4od02]

Thanks. Excellent interview. Harry has always been one of my favorites. That 1991 Talledega win was one of my favorites.

[@jeffausbun]

What a great story.. Thanks for this service NBC and Kyle .

[@jeffausbun]

I admired Harry. What a great happy racer. You could always tell after a race in the interviews, He was happy no matter where he finished. But under that happy go lucky, was the ultimate desire to win...

[@jeffausbun]

I love why he explains why he was happy every interview. I did not know this before my post..

[@tonyscriven4588]

Huge Harry Gant fan! Thank's for doing this show @KylePetty & @NBC. Great stories, especially the tech.

[@TonyWud]

Thanks Harry. Really enjoyed it. Thank you too, Kyle. You always get these folks to share some great stuff.

[@billlowe6883]

A real race car driver with a man's voice. 👍

[@michaelpaulpadillamdacgrou7904]

Harry is one cool dude and always has been! man I miss those personalities !

[@duaneoldfield]

Harry is one of the best! Always loved watching him.

[@ronniecardy]

We loved to watch him win. Was a fantastic driver we named a cat after his nickname "Bandit"

[@Jbobloochjr3]

Great to see The Bandit!! Thank you Harry!!

[@DougHanchard]

Harry Gant, Hal Needham and Burt Reynolds. Triple Crown of Motorsports.

[@henryhillebrecht4866]

Love HG, loved watching him race👍🏻👍🏻