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Kevin Harvick's crew chief Rodney Childers recently opened up on the 47-year-old's emotional farewell from NASCAR at the Phoenix Raceway.
The 2014 Cup Series champion Kevin decided to hang up his boots at the end of the 2023 season. Driving for Stewart-Haas Racing, Harvick finished seventh in the final race of his career.
What followed was a spectacle of sentiments. As one of the greatest drivers of this generation bid farewell to the sport, the people around him, including his team and family members, couldn't hold back from expressing their emotions.
Kevin Harvick's crew chief, Rodney Childers, recently spoke to SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, revealing what went down after Harvick's last race.
He revealed a touching moment that he shared with Kevin Harvick's wife, DeLana Harvick, an encounter that was reminiscent of Kevin Harvick's crowning moment in 2014. Childers said:
“DeLana sat behind me like she did in 2014 when we won the championship. She grabbed me to hug me just like she did then and I lost it all at that point.”
Rodney Childers thankful to be a part of Kevin Harvick's final moments on the track
Reflecting on the entire weekend, Childers expressed gratitude for being a part of such a remarkable Stewart Haas Racing team. He said:
"I was fine once I got down off the pit box and. We had dinner at the Speedway Club on Monday night, that was really emotional for everybody. And then, it was one thing after another all week. We unloaded and felt like we had the best car in practice, everybody in the garage coming by to talk about how good our car was.
"Just an amazing thing to go through. It's sad that you have to go through with it and it's sad that he's not gonna be with us next year.”
Childers expressed his gratitude for the opportunity to be a part of Harvick's final racing experience in the NASCAR Cup Series. He said:
“But to be able to be involved in something like that and to go through a week like we did. Just seeing how much everyone in the sport cares about him - just amazing. Just something you'll never get to do again."
"Just very thankful to be a part of this. Every bit of this was extremely special.”
