NASCAR Cup Series driver Kevin Harvick (right) talks with his crew chief Rodney Childers (left) during practice for the DuraMAX Drydene 400 at Dover Motor Speedway. Matthew OHaren-Imagn Images

Championship-winning NASCAR crew chief lands new role for 2026 season

By Samuel Stubbs | Last updated Sep 24, 2025 5:20 PM ET

A championship-winning NASCAR crew chief has found a job for the 2026 season.

Rodney Childers, who won the 2014 NASCAR Cup Series championship with Kevin Harvick and Stewart-Haas Racing, will be the crew chief for the No. 1 team at JR Motorsports in the NASCAR Xfinity Series in 2026, per Fox Sports' Bob Pockrass.

Rodney Childers has a new gig for 2026 -- crew chief for the JR Motorsports No. 1 car in the Xfinity Series. Carson Kvapil and Connor Zilisch will share the ride with number of races for each TBD.
— Bob Pockrass (@bobpockrass) September 24, 2025

Pockrass reported on Wednesday that the No. 1 JRM Chevrolet will be split between drivers Connor Zilisch and Carson Kvapil in 2026.

What this announcement means for Carson Kvapil and Carson Kvapil

That announcement gives some clarity to Kvapil's future, as his 2026 plans were previously unknown. 2025 is Kvapil's rookie season in the Xfinity Series, and through 27 races, the 22-year-old driver has earned 13 top-10 finishes and a playoff berth.

Zilisch, meanwhile, will be full-time in the NASCAR Cup Series with Trackhouse Racing for his rookie campaign in 2026 with Randall Burnett atop the pit box.

For Childers, the new role at JRM will mark his first time back on a NASCAR pit box since April, when, after nine races with Justin Haley, he was released by Spire Motorsports.

Childers, 49, is a 38-time winner as a crew chief in the NASCAR Cup Series and is widely considered in the garage as one of the best crew chiefs currently in the sport.

Samuel Stubbs

Hailing from the same neck of the woods as NASCAR Hall of Famer Mark Martin, Samuel has been covering NASCAR for Yardbarker since February 2024. He has been a member of the National Motorsports Press Association (NMPA) since October of 2024. When he’s not writing about racing, Samuel covers Arkansas Razorback basketball for Yardbarker

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