When Rodney Childers left his job at Spire Motorsports in April, in the middle of the ongoing season, there were a lot of questions about where he might end up. The iconic crew chief courted the idea of getting to spend more time with his family and left it to god to show him the path ahead.
Well, the man above appears to have done a great job at it. JR Motorsports has announced that Childers will be joining them as the crew chief of the No. 1 team beginning in 2026. The team’s current driver, Carson Kvapil, and Connor Zilisch, who is bound for the Cup Series next year, will share a ride and be his drivers.
JR Motorsports team owner and NASCAR icon Dale Earnhardt Jr. said about the signing, “Rodney’s resume and career speak for themselves. Rodney and I grew up together and have known each other since we were kids. That’s a relationship that has always been close and has remained close to this day.”
“We’ve always had an interest in working together in motorsports, and I’m thankful that this opportunity came about and we could bring him into the JRM family.” A 40-time race winner in the Cup Series, 2026 will be Childers’ first season in the NASCAR’s second highest level of competition.
Childers’ Excitement Over the Big Step
Childers’ most successful stint in the show was with Stewart-Haas Racing as the crew chief of the 2014 Cup Series champion, Kevin Harvick. The pairing was one of the most successful in NASCAR history and secured 37 wins, 148 top-5s, 230 top-10s, and five Championship 4 appearances.
For such a legend to team up with one of the most iconic franchises in recent history is a groundbreaking development. He said in the team statement, “To see what Dale, Kelley and Mr. H [Rick Hendrick] have built here is quite amazing and their results show for themselves.”
“Dale and Kelley have meant a lot to me for some 30 years and I can’t wait to be part of this group. Plus, I get to be the lucky guy to lead two amazing young men that have a huge amount of talent and a big future in our sport.”
Childers will be replacing Andrew Overstreet, who is the current crew chief of Kvapil. It has been confirmed that Overstreet, having been with the team since 2020, will continue to be a crucial part of the organization in a different role.