“That one kind of caught me off guard…hopefully he winds up somewhere where he’ll make a difference because I think he can.” These were Kevin Harvick’s words in late April, soon after his former crew chief inexplicably lost his job. After serving as Justin Haley’s crew chief for nine races in 2025, Rodney Childers parted ways with Spire Motorsports. Now, however, the tides are changing for the NASCAR veteran.

Rodney Childers’ resume hardly needs any introduction. His time with Kevin Harvick was the most stellar part of his career, as he roped in 37 NASCAR Cup Series wins and the 2014 championship. That level of brilliance could not be repeated, although Childers is not retiring from his ambitions just yet.

NASCAR’s revered veteran drops a playful hint

Well, every legendary comeback should be playful and grand. That applies to Rodney Childers all the more so because of the bizarre circumstances of his exit. When Spire Motorsports was overhauling its team in late 2024, the addition of Childers seemed like a boon for Justin Haley. The duo managed to capture three top-15 finishes together this season in Las Vegas, Homestead-Miami, and Bristol. Plus, nine races are too small a sample size to evaluate a crew chief’s compatibility, hence people’s shock to see Spire letting Childers go. The former 2014 Cup Series champion has amassed 40 wins in 685 races over his 21-year NASCAR career. Now, however, Rodney Childers is ready to bring back some of that glamor.

The crew chief posted a family photo recently on X, and the happiness was visible on their faces. It did not seem like Rodney Childers was fired less than three months ago, as he donned Super Mario caps with loved ones. That should have been the first hint to a diehard fan who wrote, “Don’t have too much fun. Looking forward to seeing you back in cup next year.” You would expect that comment to go unnoticed. But we were in for a surprise when Childers himself replied, “I can’t wait!! 👊🏼🏁🏁” Talk about dropping another Silly Season domino in a grand way!

After his departure from Spire Motorsports, Rodney Childers kept himself busy. He served as a consultant to Kevin Harvick‘s CARS Tour team. “I’m really just having fun with late models again,” Childers admitted. However, now it seems that he may get serious about a full-time career again. At 48 years of age, Childers is closer to the end of his motorsports career than the beginning. With the limited time he has left, he doesn’t want to waste it in an unhealthy situation. Yet the options before him are vast and diverse, as many drivers in the Cup Series need serious help in improving their seasons.

The NASCAR community got caught up in speculating about the ocean of possibilities. After all, Rodney Childers is still popular among fans!

Fans swoon over the legend’s comeback

With the words coming from Rodney Childers himself, there remains no doubt about it. After Kevin Harvick’s former crew chief posted his short comment on X, he left a buzz of intrigue among fans. Somebody was bubbling with enthusiasm, as they commented: “Can’t wait to see you again!!! You and your family take care, and Enjoy some time together!! You’ll always be the BEST CREW CHIEF IN NASCAR!!! KEEP me posted as things are going on good friend!” The possibility of seeing Childers ooze gold as he did with Kevin Harvick, David Reutimann, and others thrilled fans. The champion crew chief got a warm welcome from another fan: “We miss you goat.”

What is more, people started making guesses about Rodney Childers’ future. One fan suggested replacing Shane van Gisbergen’s crew chief, Stephen Doran, as the duo has not been able to race well on non-road courses. “If anyone at Trackhouse needs a crew chief change imo it’s getting Doran off of SVG’s pit box. The two wins are more SVG being an absolute RC beast than Doran being a good CC. Doran’s strategy calls are some of the most questionable I’ve seen out of any Trackhouse CC.”

Somebody suggested Brad Keselowski’s fold, which has also been undergoing a dry streak. They wrote, “Calling it (wishing for it), he lands at RFK in some capacity.” Alex Bowman’s crew chief also came up, as the No. 48 driver is the only HMS driver without a win. A fan wrote, “PLEASE REPLACE BLAKE HARRIS.”

Clearly, the idea of seeing Rodney Childers in NASCAR again has fans brimming with excitement. We can only wait and see when Kevin Harvick’s former colleague will make a grand comeback.