Legendary Crew Chief Rodney Childers Makes Stunning Prediction on Keelan Harvick’s NASCAR Potential

The whole NASCAR community had its eyes on Spire Motorsports’ #7 Cup car this year, hoping for breakout performances. With veteran, championship-winning crew chief Rodney Childers on board, it seemed like Justin Haley was set for an intense Cup Series journey.

However, Spire split the duo after nine races in the 2024-25 campaign.

Since Childers left, he hasn’t landed with another Cup team yet. Instead, he took on a mentoring role with Kevin Harvick’s team, Kevin Harvick Incorporated, in the CARS Tour. Childers is guiding current Late Model Stock Car points leader Landen Lewis and KevinHarvick’s son and Pro Late Model rookie, Keelan Harvick.

That highlights Keelan, who is just 13 but has already launched an impressive campaign. Childers hasn’t held back from predicting a bright future for the young driver.

How Will Rodney Childers’ Prediction Impact Keelan Harvick’s Future?
This season, Keelan jumped into the PLM series, and his racecraft caught everyone’s attention. So far, he’s started eight races, racked up two wins, and scored four top-five finishes. It’s a notable achievement for his first year, sitting third in the points, trailing Ben Maier by 42.

With Childers working closely alongside him, the crew chief quickly spotted significant potential. On a recent “Happy Hour” episode, Kevin asked him, “Who do you think some of the other young guys coming through the system are that have the potential to come out of there and have a chance at moving forward?”

Childers didn’t hesitate in his response: “Well, my number one would be Keelan.” Childers has faith Keelan’s path will lead to NASCAR, though he acknowledged there’s time before that happens. “…We still got a few years for that,” Childers said. Coming from someone who’s worked with Cup champions, it’s a huge nod for the 13-year-old.

Childers has a stacked Cup resume–37 wins with Kevin Harvick and the 2014 championship. So, when he points out Keelan’s talent, fans take notice. That said, Keelan would need to be at least 16 to make a Truck Series debut in NASCAR, and even then, would be restricted to tracks 1.25 miles or less and road courses. He’ll need to hit 18 to go full-time, which lines up for 2030.

Still, Keelan’s stay in PLM isn’t set to last much longer. In October 2025, he’s stepping up to Super Late Model Stock Cars, making his debut at Kevin’s Kern Raceway in Bakersfield, California, driving a car that honors his dad. Unsurprisingly, he’s excited for the opportunity.

Announcing the move, Keelan said, “Racing a Super Late Model at Kern is going to be awesome. Doing it in a throwback to my dad’s Spears car is cool, too. Everyone in Bakersfield has been super supportive of racing, and the Spears partnership means a lot to my family. It’s awesome to carry on that tradition.”

While PLM and SLM cars look similar, the Super Late Models crank up to 600 horsepower, making them a beast to handle. Keelan seems ready to meet the challenge head-on.