In NASCAR, fans are often limited to knowing the professional journeys of their favorite entities. Let’s take Rodney Childers for example. Fans know how the veteran crew chief has had a storied career that began with driving late models, to becoming a crew chief for Kevin Harvick and winning the championship with him and Stewart-Haas Racing in 2014. But little do they get to know about the hidden backstories that they live behind the scenes. One such refreshing, rare tale about Childers was shared by Dale Earnhardt Jr. himself.

Next year, Childers is all set to take over the crew chief duties for the No. 1 car with Dale Jr’s JR Motorsports for Carson Kvapil and Connor Zilisch. “It was just a dream scenario,” Childers had said a few days ago. But few know that Dale Jr and Childers share a connection that goes way back to their childhood. And more than this update, Dale Jr’s interesting revelation of the backstory behind it tells us how there’s so much that goes behind these actual events that the fans never get to see.

Dale Jr reveals his childhood connection to Rodney Childers

On the latest episode of the Dale Jr Download, Dale Jr surprised many when he revealed the depth of their old bond, “Me and Rodney have grown up together, his brother and I were in the same class, in the same grade.” Since both have worked in different teams and have always stayed on their own different paths, news like this reminds us about the small world we live in.

“I would go over to Rodney’s house, he’s pop in some VHS tapes of his go kart racing and we’d sit there and watch him race go karts. He’d be like, he won everything, hell of a driver. When he started racing Late Models, I’d go over to his shop, check out his sh-t, see what is going on. He got into crew chiefing, we stayed connected. He used to ride around in my pickup truck when I was 16-17 years old, being goofballs.”

This recollection by Dale Jr tells the actual depth of their bond, long before they both achieved their own fame in NASCAR. From watching Childers dominate in go-karts to following his transition into Late Models and eventually crew chiefing, their friendship has spanned decades and countless racing milestones.

And it’s especially those personal moments, like Junior hanging out at Childers’ shop, or Childers riding Junior’s pickup truck, these moments truly show that side of the sport which is rarely seen by fans.

A connection so strong like this naturally aided Dale Jr. in signing Childers for his team. And why would he not do it? For two childhood friends who’ve shared such a deep bond in life, it was inevitable that their paths would cross someday, making them professionally collaborate with each other after all this time.

As Dale Jr added, “So this is also an opportunity to bring him in to a place where I think he’ll fit in perfectly. He’s a racer, we know each other well, he’s going to come in here and want to do an amazing job. So I think he’ll be a great asset to us.”

This confidence in Dale Jr about Childers naturally comes from decades of knowing his work ethic, racing insight, and competitive mindset. And their long-personal bond means Junior knows how Childers approaches challenges, prepares for races, and leads a team.

This reflects in Childers’ excitement, too, as he cannot wait to begin this new journey, as he said, “This is basically the old car that we had a lot of success with, Sundays at church with Katrina and the boys, racing with two really exceptional young drivers and I couldn’t say ‘yes’ fast enough.”

Apart from the experience he carries, Dale Jr. also brings him because of the trust and the familiarity factor that could surely work as an added advantage for their team. The move not only strengthens JRM on the track but also highlights how lasting personal bonds can shape the future of NASCAR teams.

Meanwhile, amidst the playoff discussions in the garage at their peak, Dale Jr also shed some light on how TV deals play a role in this.

Dale Jr on how TV influences the playoffs

The playoff format has been facing all the heat right now about fairness and whether the system rewards the credit to the drivers who deserve it. Amidst this, NASCAR formed its Playoff Format Committee, which also includes Dale Jr., and the latter gave a take on how the TV deals quietly shape these discussions.

Right now, the TV deals are being handled by FOX and NBC. These aren’t just broadcasters; they’re major business partners, bringing in millions through media rights. So while NASCAR says the networks don’t make decisions for the sport, the financial stakes involved in the whole process definitely carry influence. As Dale Jr. explained, “If I’m NASCAR and you wrote me that check, I’m calling you, ‘Hey man, I’ve not made a decision yet, but this is kind of where we’re headed.’”

He further clarified how networks maintain the appearance of staying neutral, “TV can say that and they can actually believe that. But if I’m NASCAR and you wrote me a check, I’m calling you.” This dynamic shows that even minor financial influences can impact all the talk that goes around in the town.

This insight from Dale Jr gives fans a rare glimpse into how decisions are made behind the scenes. No process is simple. Every small or big rule change, especially a giant like the playoff tweaks, naturally involves multiple parties and their interests. And TV networks, though neural on paper, are inevitably part of that conversation.