“What am I gonna do without him?”: Kevin Harvick’s former crew chief shares ‘crushing’ feeling of learning about NASCAR legend’s retirement

SHR crew chief Rodney Childers recently opened up about the time when former NASCAR driver Kevin Harvick announced his retirement from the Cup Series. He retired at the end of the 2023 season.

Childers and Harvick started working together after the latter moved to Stewart-Haas Racing in the 2014 season. He had been competitive with Richard Childress as well, but it wasn't until this move that he would win the Cup Series championship in 2014. Although he won it only once in his career, his pairing with Childers helped him finish within the top 10 of the championship in every season till 2022.

Kevin Harvick announced early in 2023 that it would be his final season racing in the Cup Series. Rodney Childers, who had gotten quite close to him, recently revealed that the team knew for two years that the then #4 Ford driver would be retiring. Childers opened up about the emotional dilemma he faced at the time.

"We knew over the last two years that Kevin was going to leave," alt driver quoted Childers. "And for me, that was just crushing. I mean, he was everything to me and to have to go through that and to know every single week -- like every day when I was driving to the shop, it's like, 'What am I gonna do next? What am I gonna do without him?'"

He added:

"And I think just finally getting over that and getting back to work and working with a young driver that's enthusiastic and kids around with all the road guys all the time and all kinds of different things, it just brought that fire back."

Harvick exemplarily qualified for all the playoffs during his time at Stewart-Haas Racing. He finished his final season in the 13th place. The duo gathered 36 wins with 25 pole positions. Kevin Harvick also won the All-Star Race in the 2018 season.

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Rodney Childers' latest career move after Kevin Harvick's retirement and SHR's closure announcement

After Kevin Harvick retired, Childers served as the crew chief for the #4 car in the current season. He works with Josh Berry. However, the two will see massive changes in the next season.

Stewart-Haas Racing announced earlier that they will cease their Cup Series operations at the end of this season, leaving the drivers and crew in confusion.

Rodney Childers, however, was able to find his way to a new team, given his vast experience in racing. Spire Motorsports announced him as the crew chief of their #7 Chevrolet, driven by Corey LaJoie. He will replace Ryan Sparks on the team.