Rodney Childers is set to take on a new challenge as he joins Dale Earnhardt Jr JR Motorsports for the 2026 NASCAR Xfinity season, bringing his extensive experience to the team’s No. 1 car as crew chief. Based in Mooresville, North Carolina, Childers will help guide drivers Carson Kvapil and Connor Zilisch through a season marked by big changes for the organization and the series.
Childers Steps into JR Motorsports Crew Chief Role
Rodney Childers, known for his leadership on top-tier NASCAR teams, will lead JR Motorsports in the 2026 season as crew chief. The team will feature the No. 1 Chevrolet Camaro, with Carson Kvapil returning to a part-time role and Connor Zilisch taking on dual duties, balancing both the NASCAR Cup Series and the Xfinity—soon to be rebranded as the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series.
This marks Childers’ debut in the Xfinity Series, after previous success as crew chief for Spire Motorsports in the NASCAR Cup Series. Childers had a standout tenure guiding Kevin Harvick, together earning 37 wins, 148 top-five finishes, 230 top-tens, and five Championship 4 appearances, capped by a Cup Series championship in 2014.
Reflecting on his transition, Childers said,
“The last 12 months haven’t been the way that we wanted it to go, but everything happens for a reason. When Dale called me, and we sat down and talked about this, I was blown away honestly. What Dale means to me, what Kelly (Earnhardt Miller) means to me, what Mr. H (Rick Hendrick) means to me…it’s just a dream come true.”
– Rodney Childers, Crew Chief
Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s Longtime Bond with Rodney Childers
Dale Earnhardt Jr., head of JR Motorsports and a NASCAR Hall of Famer, has maintained a friendship with Childers since their childhood. Earnhardt voiced excitement about finally working together and praised Childers’ career achievements.
“Rodney’s resume and career speak for itself,” Earnhardt said of Rodney Childers. “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.”
– Dale Earnhardt Jr., Team Owner
“We’ve always had interest in working together in motorsports and I’m thankful that this opportunity came about and we could bring him into the JRM family,” the two-time Xfinity Series champion said.
– Dale Earnhardt Jr., Team Owner
What’s Ahead for the No. 1 Team and the Series
Childers will officially start his role at the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series race at Daytona in February 2026, working with both Carson Kvapil and Connor Zilisch. Kvapil and Zilisch are navigating their rookie Xfinity Series seasons, making Childers’ experience all the more crucial to the team’s development. Rick Hendrick and Kelly Earnhardt Miller, both key figures in the JR Motorsports family, have also been referenced as meaningful to Childers’ decision to join the organization.
The current season features major events like the Round of 12 playoff race, Kansas Lottery 300, to be held at Kansas Speedway, scheduled for September 27 and set to broadcast live on CW and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio. The spotlight now turns to how Childers’ arrival and his championship legacy with former Cup Series champion Kevin Harvick might shape the JR Motorsports strategy and performance when he steps onto the pit box for the 2026 NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series.
As the No. 1 team prepares for a new chapter, the addition of Childers and the dual role responsibilities for Zilisch highlight Dale Earnhardt Jr JR Motorsports’ ambitions for the future, with hopes high for success when the series kicks off in Daytona.
1⃣ "To me, it's really about winning races."@RodneyChilders4 calls joining @JRMotorsports a "dream come true" for 2026, is looking forward to hitting the ground running and chasing more checkered flags with @ConnorZilisch and @CarsonKvapil.
More → https://t.co/MKhd9eLpQA pic.twitter.com/ab8b2rQUeO
— SiriusXM NASCAR Radio (Ch. 90) (@SiriusXMNASCAR) September 24, 2025
