Childers, former NASCAR champion, new crew chief in Xfinity Series

Rodney Childers Finds New Direction at JR Motorsports

Following his departure from Spire Motorsports in April, Rodney Childers, known for leading Kevin Harvick to the Cup championship in 2014, has secured a new position in the world of motorsports. Childers will assume the crew chief role at JR Motorsports in the Xfinity Series, specifically for the No. 1 Chevrolet, which will be shared by Carson Kvapil and Connor Zilisch. This will be the first time Childers serves as a crew chief in the Xfinity Series.

Rodney’s resume and track record 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 so to this day. We have always been interested in working together in motorsports, and I am grateful that this opportunity has presented itself and we have been able to bring him into the JRM family.

Dale Earnhardt Jr., co-owner of JR Motorsports

Childers worked with Justin Haley at Spire, but the relationship came to an end when both the driver and the crew chief agreed that it wasn’t working. During his time at Stewart-Haas Racing, Childers achieved 40 victories and a Cup title with Harvick. Subsequently, he worked with Josh Berry in 2024, the year Harvick retired and which marked the last year of Stewart-Haas Racing’s existence.

NASCAR Confirms Jusan Hamilton’s Departure

In other motorsport news, NASCAR has confirmed the departure of Jusan Hamilton as race director, with six races remaining until the end of the season. Hamilton, whose official title was general manager of competition operations, is no longer listed as a NASCAR employee. Hamilton joined NASCAR as an intern in 2012 and returned in 2016, performing various roles. He oversaw NASCAR’s Drive for Diversity program, pit crew development, and NASCAR’s iRacing professional divisions, in addition to serving as a race director. Hamilton was fundamental in setting up the annual calendar and the calendar for each race weekend. His first event as race director was in 2018 at Pocono Raceway. In 2022, Hamilton became the first black race director to officiate the Daytona 500.