Kevin Harvick Makes Emotional Admission on His ‘Hard A**’ Partnership With Rodney Childers

In NASCAR, drivers often reflect on the teams that shaped their careers. Kevin Harvick spent 13 seasons with Richard Childress Racing before moving to Stewart-Haas in 2014, where he added 37 wins and a championship. Now retired, he’s using those lessons in broadcasting and team ownership. Of all his experiences, Kevin Harvick’s bond with Rodney Childers still stands out, and a recent admission shows just how much it meant.

Harvick’s start with RCR came abruptly in 2001, stepping into the No. 3 after Dale Earnhardt’s tragic death, a move that thrust him into the spotlight with immediate pressure to perform. And after Stewart-Haas Racing shut down, Kevin later called SHR’s 2024 closure “unbelievable to me,” noting it’s a business he’s known long but not owned. These reflections highlight how team bonds evolve, carrying emotional weight that lingers.

Kevin Harvick’s candid take on Childers’ bond

Kevin Harvick got real about his decade-long run with crew chief Rodney Childers at Stewart-Haas Racing, admitting the partnership thrived on a tough, no-nonsense vibe that mirrored other legendary duos but flipped the script on his own style.

Drawing parallels to Jimmie Johnson and Chad Knaus, Harvick noted in his Happy Hour podcast, “I feel like Rodney and myself were the opposite. He was the calm, cool, collected guy, and it just worked because I didn’t want to offend him, but I wanted to do everything that he said, and I didn’t want to do anything dumb to make him mad like I did the previous 13 years as I went through my time at RCR.”

This emotional nod underscores how Childers’ steady hand balanced Harvick’s fire, leading to 37 wins and the 2014 title in their first year together, a turnaround from Harvick’s winless 2013 at RCR.

The admission ties back to Harvick’s early SHR days, when Childers joined from Michael Waltrip Racing, bringing a calm that tamed Harvick’s intensity without clashes. Harvick elaborated on Knaus’ style as a benchmark, saying, “From the very beginning, he was just the hard a– that came in to motivate and push you.”

For Harvick and Childers, this ‘hard a–‘ edge meant mutual respect, with Harvick avoiding missteps to keep Childers content, fueling a streak of 28 top-10s in 2014. It’s a story of growth, where Harvick learned discipline from Childers’ poise, contrasting his RCR tenure marked by 23 wins but occasional team tensions.

Their bond’s legacy shines in SHR‘s stats. 69 poles and consistent playoff runs until Harvick’s 2023 retirement. Harvick’s words reveal the emotional layer: gratitude mixed with recognition of the grind that built their success. As SHR folded in 2024, this reflection feels timely, showing how such partnerships endure beyond the track.

While Harvick unpacks crew chief dynamics, he’s also eyeing the bigger picture in NASCAR. Questions about playoff fairness are bubbling up, with Harvick and others calling out potential edges.

Penske’s playoff track tilt?

Kevin Harvick spotlighted Team Penske‘s knack for shining at key playoff stops, labeling half the venues as “pro-Penske” spots where they dominate. On his Happy Hour podcast, he said, “It’s happening again. Here we go. And when you look at the playoff races, I mean, half the tracks are pro-Penske with the places they can run well. And they’ve been good at Kansas, they’ve been good at Vegas.”

He further added. “You show up at Richmond, and they got three in the top 5. You can never count these guys out. Logano has the trouble in practice here. He has a flat tire in the race and still finishes in the top 5.” This points to Penske’s depth, like at 2025 Richmond, where Joey Logano overcame a spin and flat to finish fourth, joined by Ryan Blaney and Austin Cindric in the top five.

Kyle Larson chimed in, questioning if the format hands Penske an edge, especially at Phoenix, saying, “if nothing changes,” Team Penske will always have the best shot in a one-race championship. Larson’s take stems from Penske’s Phoenix prowess, Logano’s 2022 and 2024 titles there, and Blaney’s 2023 win. It fuels debate on schedule fairness, as Penske’s adaptability turns mishaps into podiums, like Logano’s 2022 run with three playoff victories after a modest regular season.

Some see this as a “Penske bias,” but it’s backed by history: strong showings at Kansas and Vegas, where they’ve racked up multiple wins. If tweaks come, drivers like Harvick suggest balancing the calendar to level the field. For now, it keeps conversations alive on making playoffs more equitable.