Rodney Childers has long been one of NASCAR’s most respected crew chiefs. A championship winner with Kevin Harvick in 2014 and more than 40 career Cup Series wins, his credentials place him among the best minds on the pit box. But when Stewart-Haas Racing announced its closure in 2024, it left everyone shocked. Childers was naturally expected to be one of the most sought-after free agents on the market. And that happened as well, as Spire Motorsports quickly snapped him up in a multi-year deal, placing him with Justin Haley. But just nine races into the campaign, that partnership unraveled, with both sides splitting it mutually. It left observers stunned, though some industry voices hinted that there was more to the story.

When the separation came in April, Spire co-owner Jeff Dickerson s

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