“It doesn’t look great from the outside!” Carson Hocevar breaks silence on Rodney Childers’ Spire Motorsports exit

Carson Hocevar believes that Rodney Childers' sudden exit from Spire Motorsports does not reflect well on the No. 7 team.

“It doesn’t look great from the outside!” Carson Hocevar breaks silence on Rodney Childers’ Spire Motorsports exit

Carson Hocevar (via Athlon), Rodney Childers (via NYtimes)

Spire Motorsports had signed the 2014 championship-winning crew chief for the 2025 season, Rodney Childers, with great hopes of achieving success under him. Things didn’t go as planned as Childers shockingly exited from the No. 7 team after just nine races in the season. Now, amidst the sea of naysayers, the No. 77 driver, Carson Hocevar has berated Spire’s current situation.

Rodney Childers was paired up with Spire’s new recruit Justin Haley. The veteran took to social media and thanked the team for the time he worked together, and seemingly ended the situation on a good note. Childers is going to take a break from motorsport and focus on his personal life. Spire Motorsports’ longest tenured driver, Carson Hocevar accepts that the condition doesn’t give a good look to the No. 7 team from the outside.

Hocevar highlighted that everything that happened regarding Childers and Spire was a ‘strategic decision’. However, the 22-year-old acknowledged that the situation didn’t look good from the outside for the team as a whole. Still, the No. 77 driver believes in Jeff Dickerson and Co.’s capabilities and assures that the game plan remains the same despite the sudden changes in personnel.

Yeah, I mean, everything was a strategic play, and I think you just saw that. It doesn’t look fun and great from the outside optics, but from within, the blueprint, the game plan of Jeff Dickerson and everybody in that office and office space is still the same, and it hasn’t changed, and this is just another aggressive strategic move.

Carson Hocevar told Frontstretch.

Justin Haley’s performance in the 2025 season remained extremely mediocre, which was the major reason behind Rodney Childer’s sudden exit. The No. 7 driver is currently P23 in the championship standings and could only manage an average finish out of the top 20. As such, Hocevar asserted that everyone saw the Childers’ departure coming. Now, Haley has been paired up with Ryan Sparks as the team expects better results with the newly appointed crew chief.

Yeah I mean, we all could [see it coming]

Carson Hocevar added.

Carson Hocevar issues ‘full faith’ in Jeff Dickerson’s plans with Spire Motorsports

The co-owner of Spire, Jeff Dickerson will now have to focus more on the team and find stability amidst the massive personnel changes. Carson Hocevar, who has performed well with the team this year believes that the decision is taken in the best interest. The No. 77 driver has also backed the team’s leadership to take the correct steps required for the success of Spire down the 2025 season.

Carson Hocevar
Carson Hocevar (Via IMAGO)

Hocevar reassures that he has full faith in Dickerson and Spire Motorsports as a whole. The 22-year-old anticipates that the leaders of the team are coming up with a big game plan that could help them achieve great success. Moreover, the No. 77 driver emphasized that the changes, although currently doubtful, were taken for a long-term goal. As such, an aggressive change was required for Spire that could help bolster the team’s performance in the long run.

I mean, I have full faith in Spire and Jeff Dickerson and everybody. And they’re up there with a big game plan, right? It’s constantly moving people, parts, things for a long-term goal, and it’s continuously moving and shuffling. And this is an aggressive, again, strategic move that they see fit that is good for the long run, and you know.

Carson Hocevar noted.

Spire Motorsports has continued to improve in terms of performance over the years, more so in the 2025 season. The team seems to be on their toes regarding changes to further improve the performance for this year. Hocevar still has to improve performance as he hopes to overcome his teammates in the coming races. Time will tell about how Haley performs with his newly appointed crew chief as the team prepares for the upcoming Talladega.

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