Spire Motorsports made a crew chief change for its No. 7 Chevrolet team, announcing Wednesday that veteran Rodney Childers and the team agreed to mutually part ways during the off-week break.
The move comes as the NASCAR Cup Series is set to resume this weekend with Sunday’s Jack Link’s 500 (3 p.m. ET, FOX, MRN Radio, SiriusXM) at Talladega Superspeedway.
Childers joined the Spire organization in the offseason after 11 years at Stewart-Haas Racing, which folded at the end of the 2024 season. Spire signed him last July with a multiyear deal, and he began this year working with driver Justin Haley.
He offered a statement of his own later that afternoon.
“I know this is a shock. But also know that not everything works out perfect all the time. That’s how life works,” Childers said in a note posted to social media. “This was just one of those things that just wasn’t working for either of us. I appreciate my time at Spire, working with JH and the entire 7 team. We did a lot of good that is yet to be seen, and I wish them the best in the future. Also want to say thank you to everyone at Chevrolet, Mr. (Rick Hendrick) and everyone at Hendrick Motorsports for my time working with them again. It was a pleasure. Thank you to (NASCAR), the officials, and most importantly the fans for your support. For me, I’m going to take a little time. Focus on the important things like my family and friends. And honestly just see what the racing world holds for me next. I know the man above will lead me in a direction that is best for me.”
Haley ranks 23rd in the Cup Series standings. His lone top-10 finish through nine races this season was 10th last month at Homestead-Miami Speedway.
Childers has 40 Cup Series wins, with all but three of those coming while paired with Kevin Harvick, who retired from competition after the 2023 season. Harvick and Childers combined to capture the 2014 Cup Series championship in their first year together at Stewart-Haas.