Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s JRM Signs Legendary Crew Chief Rodney Childers for 2026

Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s JR Motorsports has roped in Rodney Childers to be the crew chief of the No. 1 Chevrolet in the O'Reilly Auto Parts Series next year.

Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s JRM Signs Legendary Crew Chief Rodney Childers for 2026

Dale Earnhardt Jr (via Frontstretch) and Rodney Childers (via Motorsport.com)

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Dale Earnhardt Jr.‘s JR Motorsports has made a big move for 2026. JRM has signed legendary NASCAR crew chief Rodney Childers for the upcoming season of the Xfinity Series (to be rebranded as O’Reilly Auto Parts Series).

Rodney Childers is a legendary name in NASCAR. The crew chief has achieved impressive success in the Cup Series, having worked with the likes of Kevin Harvick and Josh Berry. During his time with Harvick, Childers won the Cup championship in 2014, and over 37 race wins between 2014 and 2023.

Most recently, the iconic crew chief was leading the Spire Motorsports’ No. 7 crew. Rodney Childers will be the crew chief of the No. 1 Chevrolet at JRM, with Carson Kvapil and Connor Zilisch as the drivers.

The 49-year-old was excited to start a new chapter in his NASCAR career with JRM. He pointed out that he is impressed by the work done at Dale Earnhardt Jr.‘s team. Moreover, Rodney Childers asserted that he was looking forward to working with two amazing talents in Kvapil and Zilisch.

Connor Zilisch is currently leading the Playoffs in the Xfinity Series. He could potentially learn a lot from Childers, and transform into a more complete driver.

I’m so excited to be joining the JRM family, To see what Dale, Kelley, and Mr. H have built here is quite amazing, and their results show for themselves. Dale and Kelley have meant a lot to me for some 30 years, and I can’t wait to be part of this group. Plus, I get to be the lucky guy to lead two amazing young men that have a huge amount of talent and a big future in our sport.

Rodney Childers said in JRM press release.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. thrilled to bring Rodney Childers to JRM

Dale Earnhardt Jr. knows NASCAR inside-out. The former Cup Series champion understands that he needs the best talent at his team to win. Rodney Childers’ arrival shows that Dale Jr. remains committed to making JRM a force-to-be-reckoned with in NASCAR’s second tier.

Rodney Childers
Rodney Childers (Via IMAGO)

Earnhardt mentioned that Childers needed no introduction, considering the 49-year-old’s incredible history in the sport. He pointed out that he has known the legendary crew chief since childhood, with a long-standing relationship that remains strong to this day. Now, Dale Earnhardt Jr. has finally got an opportunity to work with Rodney Childers in NASCAR, something that he was glad to see finally happen.

Rodney’s resume and career speak for itself. 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. 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.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. stated

Certainly, JRM will only become stronger with Rodney Childers at the helm. The legendary crew chief brings immense experience to the team, something that will pay dividends in the long run.

On the surface, fans may think that a switch to the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series will be a step-down for Childers. However, at the end of the day, the 49-year-old is passionate as ever to win in NASCAR, and what better way to do it than at Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s team.

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