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August 20, 2023

Crew chief Rodney Childers leaves Watkins Glen due to family emergency


WATKINS GLEN, N.Y. — Rodney Childers, crew chief of the No. 4 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford, will not be atop the pit box for driver Kevin Harvick for Sunday’s Go Bowling at The Glen at Watkins Glen International due to a family emergency.

Childers, who has combined to win 37 races and a championship since being paired with Harvick, will work remotely from SHR’s “war room” at the shop in Kannapolis, North Carolina, for Sunday’s race. Engineer Stephan Doran will serve as the team’s interim crew chief at Watkins Glen, the team confirmed.

MORE: Starting lineup | Watkins Glen schedule

The longtime crew chief was in Upstate New York for Saturday’s NASCAR Cup Series practice and qualifying sessions when he received news his mother was taken to the hospital, Childers shared in a social media post.

Harvick will start Sunday’s race from 33rd position. Live coverage will begin at 3 p.m. ET on USA Network, MRN Radio, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio and the NBC Sports App.

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