Rodney Childers joins JR Motorsports in a major shift for the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series, beginning in 2026. After years of speculation and mutual interest, Childers will finally collaborate with Dale Earnhardt Jr., a high school classmate and longtime friend, at the renowned racing organization.
Years in the Making: The Road to Collaboration
For nearly twenty years, discussions lingered between Earnhardt Jr. and Childers, both wondering what working together would be like. Their shared history as high school classmates added an extra layer of anticipation to this eventual union. Following a year of Earnhardt Jr. actively recruiting Childers to join JR Motorsports (JRM), the two will officially begin their partnership, with Childers stepping into a pivotal crew chief role.
Childers expressed his enthusiasm about joining forces with Earnhardt and being part of an environment designed for success.
“I feel like there’s nothing better than working for one of your best friends, someone that is going to have your back and put you in an environment to succeed,”
— Rodney Childers, Crew Chief.
“He’s not going to let me fail. It’s been a ton of fun at the shop. That shop is the exact environment that I was looking for. Working with these guys and these old-style cars is what I always loved. It keeps me awake at night thinking of new things and how to make things better.”
— Rodney Childers, Crew Chief.
Details of the New Role at JRM
Rodney Childers has been named crew chief for JRM’s No. 1 NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series entry. The car will run a split schedule with Carson Kvapil behind the wheel for 24 races and Connor Zilisch—fresh off a ten-win 2025 season and now racing full-time in the Cup Series with Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet—as the other driver. This significant assignment comes after Childers’ challenging year at Spire Motorsports, where he worked with Justin Haley for only nine races.
Commitment to Craft and Positive Work Environment
Since joining JRM in mid-October, Childers has found renewed motivation and camaraderie within the organization. He credited Earnhardt Jr. and Kelley Earnhardt Miller for their hands-on leadership style and tireless dedication, creating a contagious energy among the staff.
“These are cars he really enjoys working on,”
— Dale Earnhardt Jr., Team Owner, told NASCAR.com, highlighting the vintage Cup feel of the O’Reilly Series garage and the positive learning atmosphere for engineers, mechanics, and young drivers.
“We get these kids who have big dreams, and over time, you become their biggest fan. In turn, you put a lot of pressure on yourself to help them get the call or next big break. That’s now what I hope Rodney sees and embraces.”
— Dale Earnhardt Jr., Team Owner.
Childers described the influence both Earnhardt siblings have had on team morale:
“I think what has been pretty impressive to me is how involved he and Kelley are,”
— Rodney Childers, Crew Chief.
“They work their butts off. This isn’t something that just happens on its own. It’s impressive to see how hungry they are. With the legacy they have, do they really have to be there every day and be as involved as they are? They want to do it and strive to do it every day.”
— Rodney Childers, Crew Chief.
Personal and Professional Reflections on the Transition
After two decades at the Cup Series level, Childers carefully considered the move to JRM with his family, knowing it would mean different travel and family dynamics. Yet, the appeal of building a contender outweighed former challenges.
“The money and glory doesn’t mean anything when you’re running 22nd every weekend on the Cup side and going home miserable every week,”
— Rodney Childers, Crew Chief.
“On this side, hopefully we can contend for wins every week, go home every single day with a smile on our faces. Some things happen for a reason, and we feel like this is one of them.”
— Rodney Childers, Crew Chief.
Describing his attraction to JRM, Childers referenced his faith and belief in timing:
“The more I thought about that, everything happens for a reason,”
— Rodney Childers, Crew Chief.
“The Lord has put me in this place for a reason. All this [expletive] is happening for a reason. It was time to do something different.”
— Rodney Childers, Crew Chief.
Sparking Motivation at the Shop
Childers’ work ethic has become a catalyst at JRM headquarters, with early arrivals becoming contagious among the staff. His passion for hands-on racing with “old-style cars” and an eagerness to develop new ideas have been sources of inspiration.
“Every morning, I wake up before my alarm goes off just thinking of these things and then I get there and am like, ‘I’ve got to do this, I’ve got to do this,’”
— Rodney Childers, Crew Chief.
He noted changes in staff habits since his arrival:
“It was only a week or two of being there, and I was beating everyone to the shop except for [Mike Bumgarner, JRM’s director of competition], which he’s hard to outwork. I started noticing more people showing up earlier, and it was one person, then it was two people, then five and then 10. That’s good to see. They don’t have to be there at 6 a.m.; they don’t have to be there until 6:59, but they want to be there. It’s good to see that kind of motivation and people that want to be there.”
— Rodney Childers, Crew Chief.
Building New Partnerships with Drivers
Childers, known for his straightforward approach, acknowledges the upcoming challenge of developing chemistry with Carson Kvapil and Connor Zilisch. Their more relaxed personalities vary from his direct style but early results—like Kvapil’s seventh-place finish at Daytona International Speedway—suggest promise. Kvapil, scheduled to drive at Atlanta’s EchoPark Speedway, embraced the new partnership:
“We will see how it goes once we get a few races in,”
— Carson Kvapil, Driver.
“Who knows, it might not work out, but I don’t see that. I think we’re cut from the same cloth. We’re both late model guys. There is a lot of stuff similar with me and Rodney. I’m super excited to get it going and hopefully win some races.”
— Carson Kvapil, Driver.
Tapping into Experience for a Competitive Edge
With a legendary track record—most notably, guiding Kevin Harvick to 37 race wins with Stewart-Haas Racing—Childers views his role at JRM as an opportunity to maximize creativity and technical prowess in a less standardized racing environment. The O’Reilly Auto Parts Series allows him and his team to experiment and influence results more directly than at the Cup Series level.
“I think it will be a big advantage, honestly,”
— Rodney Childers, Crew Chief.
“We were into every detail. That 4 team was a bunch of special people. I realize even more now how detailed we were. Every single thing mattered. There wasn’t one nut, one bolt, one ounce of oil that didn’t matter. We raced at a different level.”
— Rodney Childers, Crew Chief.
“On this side of it in the O’Reilly Series, it’s hard to race at that level. You don’t have the amount of people to race at that level, there’s not enough time in the day to race at that level. But you can damn sure try. It might take a few more hours than what you’re used to, but we’re going to try to race at the highest level we can.”
— Rodney Childers, Crew Chief.
What This Means for JR Motorsports and NASCAR
The addition of Rodney Childers to JR Motorsports marks a pivotal moment for the team and the larger O’Reilly Auto Parts Series. With the combined leadership of Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Kelley Earnhardt Miller, and Childers’ enthusiasm for hands-on racing, expectations are high for revitalized competition and mentoring of young talent like Kvapil and Zilisch. The shift could further position JRM as a prime training ground for aspiring drivers and crew in NASCAR’s evolving landscape. Looking ahead, all eyes will be on Childers and the organization as they strive for top performance and foster a winning mentality within their ranks.
