When Gene Haas founded Haas CNC Racing way back in 2002, this team barely had a presence in NASCAR. The team underwent a major transformation in 2009 when NASCAR champion Tony Stewart became co-owner. Suddenly, everything changed. Stewart-Haas Racing (SHR) quickly established itself as a dominant force after forming a technical alliance with Hendrick Motorsports. The team’s hard work paid off, resulting in more than 100 wins and multiple championships, including their first NASCAR Cup Series championship in 2011. Taking that one on himself, Stewart worked with crew chief Darian Grubb. 

Since then, SHR has experienced some unforgettable highs. Rodney Childers has been Stewart-Haas Racing’s crew chief since 2014 and he has had a successful career with the team. However, SHR announced they would cease operating after the Championship 4 round at Phoenix Raceway on November 10, 2024. As the SHR family shuts down, veteran crew chief Rodney Childers also bid an emotional farewell.

Rodney Childers reminisces about his journey at SHR

Childers joined SHR in 2014, where he formed one of NASCAR’s most successful driver-crew chief partnerships with Kevin Harvick. They won 36 points races together and the All-Star race in 2018. The peak of their partnership was winning the 2014 NASCAR Cup Series Championship. He noted how much he’ll take away from his years with the organization because of these connections. “It’s going to be something I remember for a long time,” he shared.

 Rodney Childers reflected on his time, saying, “I mean, for sure, it’s been pretty emotional. Just thinking about all of it, thinking about the things that we’ve done and thinking about the people at the shop and the guys that build these race cars week in and week out. You know, we’ve done a lot of special things over the last 11 years. To win as many races as we’ve won, as many poles as we’ve won, just a lot of different scenarios that have been special moments for all of us.” The veteran crew chief has experienced a range of emotions at SHR. From the highs of winning 5 races leading to a championship in 2014  to the disappointment of winning 9 races in 2020 and not being able to make the Championship 4, it’s been a rollercoaster ride for Childers.

Childers admitted to having emotional moments. “Yeah, man. Man [it] was worse in the last few weeks,” he confessed. “Sitting at the shop and seeing different things, taking trophies home… just all those things, that was hard for me.” SHR’s 2024 season marked the end of its journey but Childers shifted into “go time” mode when race weekend rolled around. Having been a crew chief for a while, he knew the importance of staying focused.

“Once we got on the pit box, it was kind of go time,” he said, though the day didn’t unfold as hoped, with his driver, Josh Berry, finishing in P24. Childers was thankful for the opportunity at SHR, citing Tony Stewart, co-owner Gene Haas, longtime friend Greg Zipadelli, and former NASCAR Cup Series driver Kevin Harvick, now a FOX Sports analyst. With a heavy heart, he added, “It’s been life changing.”

What’s up ahead for the former crew chief of Stewart-Haas Racing?

The next step for Childers will be to lead Justin Haley at Spire Motorsports in 2025. The transition from SHR to Spire marks a new chapter in Childers’ career. Spire Motorsports’ decision to hire Childers comes after his impressive work with Kevin Harvick, transforming him from a championship contender to a NASCAR champion. The 25-year-old Haley has a lot to learn and Childers is one of the best crew chiefs a young driver could ask for.

When asked about the upcoming season, Childers said, “Yeah, I’ll be there Tuesday morning, just like him [Michael McDowell].” Switching teams is not an easy task, especially after building a relationship at SHR for 11 years, as Childers did. The veteran crew chief opened up on the learning curve of joining Spire Motorsports. He added, “So, we’ve got a lot of work to do. You know, we got a lot to learn, number one. And, you know, hopefully some things that we can make better, some things that we can learn from them.”

“We have a whole new haulers coming that take a lot of work to get them ready to go to Daytona,” he shared, adding that he’s looking forward to working with a new team. With the support of his new crew and the resources of Spire Motorsports as well as the talented young stud Justin Haley, Childers is ready to take on this fresh challenge. In his words, “just get rolling.”