He is an 8-time NWA Heavyweight Champion and has held numerous other titles over his career that has spanned four decades.

Harley won his first NWA World Title in Kansas City in 1973 when he defeated Dory Funk Jr. Harley feels that this was the best match of his whole career as Funk had held the title for more that four years, so winning it made the moment all the more special.

In addition to bloody rivalries with both Dory Funk Jr. and Terry Funk, Harley has worked great programs with other wrestling legends as Dusty Rhodes, Bruiser Brody, Dick the Bruiser and Ric Flair. Like how Harley had wrestled long time champion Dory Funk Jr. to his first heavyweight title, it was Ric Flair who defeated long time champion Harley to win his first heavyweight title.

Race reportedly has wrestled in every country in the world, with the exceptions of Russia and Communist China. Race is particularly revered in Japan, having made over 60 trips there during his career.

Towards the end of his in-ring wrestling career, Harley went to work for the WWF (now WWE) and became know as "The King" Harley Race. Harley feuded with "Hacksaw" Jim Duggan and Hulk Hogan, but one of his most memorable matches as against the late Junk Yard Dog at Wrestlemania III in front of over 90,000 people. Harley also once won one of the WWF's first King of the Ring tournaments. During his time in the WWF, Harley was managed by "The Brain" Bobby Heenan.

Harley left the WWF and went back to the NWA, which was now known as WCW. He had retired from the ring and had now begun managing. He managed the Kolassal Kongs, The Super Invader, Yoshi Kwan, Vinnie Vegas (Kevin Nash), Mr. Hughes and he managed both Lex Luger and Big Van Vader to the WCW World Heavyweight championship.

In 1994, Harley retired from the ring, and came back home to Kansas City. In the summer of 1999, Harley Race founded World League Wrestling. Harley was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame on March 13, 2004 and to the Pro Wrestling Hall of Fame on May 15, 2004.