Childers, 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 2014 Cup Series championship, has found a new position in the world of motorsports. Childers will assume the crew chief role at JR Motorsports in the Xfinity Series, leading the No. 1 Chevrolet, which will be driven 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,” said Dale Earnhardt Jr., co-owner of JR Motorsports. “Rodney and I grew up together and have known each other since we were kids. That relationship has always been close and remains so to this day. We have always had an interest 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.

Childers previously worked with Justin Haley at Spire, but the relationship came to an end when both the driver and the crew chief felt 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 marked the end of Stewart-Haas Racing.

NASCAR Splits with Jusan Hamilton

In other news, NASCAR confirmed its separation from race director Jusan Hamilton, with six races remaining to finish the season. Currently, he is no longer listed as a NASCAR employee, where his official title was general manager of competition operations. Hamilton joined NASCAR initially as an intern in 2012 and returned in 2016, taking on various roles. He oversaw NASCAR’s Drive for Diversity program, pit crew development, and NASCAR iRacing divisions, in addition to serving as a race director. Hamilton played a fundamental role in the elaboration of the annual calendar and the program 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.