“That Hit Me the Most”: How Rodney Childers’ NASCAR Career Changed Course After Adam Petty’s Death

Rodney Childers is one of the most successful and experienced crew chiefs in NASCAR. He won the 2014 Cup Series championship with Kevin Harvick and has secured a total of 40 wins over his career. This icon’s career path has a rather downcasting backstory to it. He always wanted to be a race car driver and started his career off as one. But a tragic incident changed his course.

The early 2000s were a period of darkness for NASCAR. Several including Dale Earnhardt Jr., Adam Petty, and Kenny Irwin Jr. lost their lives due to on-track accidents. Watching these unfold in front of his eyes had Childers feeling discouraged about pursuing a career as a driver. It was the death of Adam Petty that had the deepest impact on him and his goal.

He said on the Harvick Happy Hour podcast, “I remember screaming at home one day. I’m like, ‘I’m done.’ But it was hard for me to accept. You know how emotional I am. I raced every week against Adam Petty and I think that one hit me the most.” Petty, just 19 at the time, was one of the most promising drivers to be coming up the ranks. He was the grandson of Richard Petty and destined for greatness.

He started as a driver, but a series of tragic events led @RodneyChilders4 to change the course of his career.@KevinHarvick | #NASCAR pic.twitter.com/hSavOD611K

— HarvickHappyHour (@HarvickHappyPod) July 29, 2024

The youngster was in a practice session at the New Hampshire Motor Speedway in 2000 when things went wrong. The throttle on his car got stuck when he turned towards Turn 3 and he was unable to control things. The car crashed against the outside wall at high speed as a result and caused extensive physical damage to him. He was instantly killed due to a skull fracture.

Weeks after his death, Kenny Irwin Jr. suffered a similar fate at the same spot. It was then that NASCAR mandated teams to put engine-kill switches on steering wheels. But Childers’ dream had taken a big hit by then. He revealed to his former driver that he had to let go of the desire to be a driver. Though the decision ate him alive initially he soon discovered a different route to the race track.

A friend suggested that he join the team of a Cup Series organization. Childers obliged and began working for Penske-Jasper Racing as a mechanic. The path led him to Evernham Motorsports and Michael Waltrip Racing before landing him a spot with Stewart-Haas Racing. From mechanic to car chief to crew chief, his growth was quick and tremendous. In 2025, he will be moving to Spire Motorsports.