Tony Stewart can only watch as his team gets dissolved after over a decade of success and multiple championships. In 2009, Stewart made a deal to receive a 50% stake in a team, then known as Haas Racing in exchange for driving for them. A Cup series championship for Tony Stewart followed this in 2011, with Stewart-Haas Racing being one of the premier motorsport teams.

2013 saw the addition of legendary crew chief Rodney Childers who masterminded a championship for Kevin Harvick in 2014. However, more than a decade later, SHR is about to close operations. After financial struggles with sponsorships and charters, the iconic team bids goodbye to the NASCAR world. Long-time employee Rodney Childers got emotional on his SHR farewell as fans showered him with love.

Rodney Childers and Stewart-Haas Racing go a long way back

The story between Childers and Stewart Haas Racing team started in the year 2013 when the crew chief was all set to bid adieu to his then employer, Michael Waltrip Racing. Rodney Childers took Kevin Harvick under his wing and together, they formed a duo that was nothing less than iconic. He and Childers had together been part of a legacy where the two worked for a prolonged 10 years and that too across 37 races. Kevin Harvick recently retired from full-time racing and after Harvick, Childers was preparing Josh Berry to hit the tracks by building his foundation. 

However, before the crew chief left the premises of his 10-year-long office, Childers poured his heart out in a post on X. This post captures the essence of Childers’s special relationship with SHR. He said, “11 years and over 4000 days of working at SHR. Office has been cleaned out and tomorrow will be my last day in the building.. Still hard to even fathom. So many great memories. But I’m excited for what’s next and blessed to be able to go be with another family of racers.. ❤️”.

The Stewart Haas Racing Team does have a couple of races left for this season, after which they will restructure the entire format of the team. Childers’ entry to the Spire Motorsports team does instill a ray of hope and one can anticipate that it will usher in a new era for the team. His immaculate knowledge about the field of stock car racing and even more precise calculations and strategies have been the base of Harvick’s success throughout.

The partnership between Josh Berry and Rodney Childers was anticipated to evoke the same kind of success stories that Harvick and Childers provided. However, their partnership was short-lived, with the team disbanding after Berry’s first season as a full-time cup driver for SHR. Childers was also seen recounting the kind of relationship that he and Berry shared. He said, “I have been a huge supporter of him, and honestly, he has been a huge supporter of mine. I think that’s why he has made it work so well. We have a ton of respect for each other”. 

The team continues to cease operation with only one charter left, which will be filed under the branding of the Haas Factory Team. Meanwhile, Berry is all set to join Wood Brothers Racing in the 2025 season. 

Fans react as a legacy comes to an end

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The contribution of Rodney Childers to the Stewart Haas Racing team has been quite overpowering and it seems as though fans resonate with the two together. Reacting to how Stewart Haas Racing has kind of been unstable in their approach and this has posed risks for the ones associated, a fan mentioned, “I’m sure you’ll do well with a solid team and strong affiliations”. Given that he will be joining Spire Motorsports which is indeed quite a well-known name, this reaction is quite justified. He has been able to lead Harvick to eight NASCAR Playoff berths in 10 seasons.

Childers has been an instrumental and influential feature in NASCAR, and fans are incredibly grateful for his contribution. As one fan wrote, “You are the best. Thank you for every single contribution you have made to Motorsports as a whole. That includes the sanctioning body, your teams, drivers, fans and friends. Wishing you every success in the next chapter of your life and career and I hope to some day have the privilege of meeting you and shaking your hand. Travel safe and best wishes in Phoenix”. 

Rodney also played a very important role in contributing to the legacy of the No. 4 Ford car driven by Kevin Harvick. For fans, this car is the ultimate sign of success as it saw Harvick win the 2014 NASCAR Cup Series Championship. Keeping in mind the importance of the car, a fan said, “Thanks for making that 4 car a force to be reckoned with!! Good luck over at Spire!!”.

Although Childers did not join Josh Berry at Wood Brothers, he played a very important role in shaping his foundation and giving him the perspective he needed before signing up for the Cup Series. Reacting to the same, a fan mentioned, “Prayers as you and the team transition to the next chapter. Thanks for helping build’s Josh’s foundation for his Cup career”.

Childers is one of the most respected and honored crew chiefs ever in the history of NASCAR and his farewell has made every fan emotional. Reacting to his heart-wrenching post, another fan mentioned, “You leave there respected and celebrated, we can ask for little more. Job well done sir”. 

As Rodney Childers embraces this new journey with Spire Motorsports, he will be coaching Corey LaJoie, and fans can expect more from LaJoie in 2025. Do you think Rodney Childers will win another championship as a crew chief?