Rodney Childers out as Spire Motorsports' No. 7 crew chief
Spire Motorsports made a crew chief change for its No. 7 Chevrolet team, announcing Wednesday that veteran Rodney Childers and the team agreed to mutually part ways during the off-week break.
The move comes as the NASCAR Cup Series is set to resume this weekend with Sunday's Jack Link's 500 (3 p.m. ET, FOX, MRN Radio, SiriusXM) at Talladega Superspeedway.
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RELATED: Talladega weekend schedule | Cup Series standings
Childers joined the Spire organization in the offseason after 11 years at Stewart-Haas Racing, which folded at the end of the 2024 season. Spire signed him last July with a multiyear deal, and he began this year working with driver Justin Haley.
Haley ranks 23rd in the Cup Series standings. His lone top-10 finish through nine races this season was 10th last month at Homestead-Miami Speedway.
Childers has 40 Cup Series wins, with all but three of those coming while paired with Kevin Harvick, who retired from competition after the 2023 season. Harvick and Childers combined to capture the 2014 Cup Series championship in their first year together at Stewart-Haas.
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USA Today
an hour ago
- USA Today
Denny Hamlin could miss first NASCAR Cup race in Mexico for birth of third child
Denny Hamlin could miss first NASCAR Cup race in Mexico for birth of third child Show Caption Hide Caption Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s take on lawsuit between Michael Jordan and NASCAR Dale Earnhardt Jr. says despite the lawsuit between Michael Jordan and NASCAR, He believes NASCAR is better off with Michael Jordan as part of the sport. Denny Hamlin celebrated his third NASCAR Cup Series victory of the season on June 8 at Michigan International Speedway, and now he awaits a celebration of a different kind: the birth of his third child. Hamlin's fiancée, Jordan Fish, is due to deliver any day now, putting the driver's travel plans in flux for the Cup Series' first ever race in Mexico. In a recent interview, Hamlin said he would be willing to miss a race or even multiple ones to be there for his Fish and his new baby, prioritizing his family over racing. Drivers need to depart for Mexico City on Thursday, June 12 with practice for the Viva Mexico 250 beginning the next day ahead of the Sunday, June 15 Cup race at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez. HAMLIN: Wins NASCAR race at Michigan, taunts crowd with OSU chant During a June 10 interview on SiriusXM NASCAR, Hamlin said the distance between his home in North Carolina and Mexico City played a significant role in this decision. "It's one thing when you're in Michigan; you're an hour and a half flight away. There's no customs. I fly right into the airport. It's just not that in Mexico,' Hamlin said. Hamlin is fresh off a victory at the Firekeepers casino 400 and currently sits in third place in the NASCAR Cup Series standings with three wins, seven top-five finishes and eight top 10s. Here's how his absence could affect his shot at his first championship: Denny Hamlin just joined us On Track and said if Jordan doesn't deliver their baby boy by the time he has to leave for Mexico City he's not going. Said his priority is her and the delivery of their 3rd child. Drivers will leave Thursday so interesting to follow 'baby watch' and… — Danielle Trotta (@DanielleTrotta) June 10, 2025 Would Hamlin's absence affect his chance at NASCAR Cup Series title? Fortunately, Hamlin has already secured his spot in the 10-race Cup Series playoffs with his three wins this season. Furthermore, thanks to the NASCAR Playoff Waiver System, which classifies the birth of a child as an exemption, Hamlin would not lose playoff eligibility or points. Hamlin has 57 wins in his Cup Series career, which ranks 11th on the all-time list. While a championship has eluded him, he finished runner-up in 2010 and third three times (2006, 2014 and 2021). NASCAR IN-SEASON CHALLENGE: What you need to know about the new tournament How would Hamlin's absence affect the NASCAR in-season challenge? NASCAR is introducing its first ever individual in-season challenge this year, and the method to seed the drivers has already begun. The in-season challenge begins with the June 28 race at Atlanta Motor Speedway, but results at the three prior races – June 8 at Michigan, June 15 at Mexico City and June 22 at Pocono Raceway – will determine the seedings for the 32-driver bracket. There in-season challenge is a single-elimination tournament, which will take place over five consecutive races, beginning in late June. Similar to NCAA tournaments, including college basketball's March Madness, each driver will be seeded against an opponent, and the one with the best finish will advance. It is unclear yet, how a missed race would affect the bracket – either in the three races leading up to the tournament or the NASCAR in-season challenge itself. Who would fill in for Hamlin in Mexico City? Should Hamlin miss this weekend's race, it's unclear who would fill-in for him in the No. 11. Fans would certainly like to see 23XI Racing prospect Corey Heim, but more likely is Ryan Treux, who has served as the full-time reserve race for Joe Gibbs Racing for some time. Contributing: Ellen J. Horrow
NBC Sports
3 hours ago
- NBC Sports
Good news, bad news for NASCAR Cup teams ahead of Mexico City weekend
The NASCAR Cup Series heads to Mexico City this weekend for its first points race outside the U.S. since 1958. The series will race at Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez. Drivers will compete on a 15-turn, 2.42-mile course. The frontstretch is 3,937 feet, making it the longest in the series (Pocono's frontstretch is 3,740 feet). Chase Elliott (three wins), Ryan Blaney (two) and Joey Logano (two) have combined to win seven of the last 11 races at a new track for the Cup Series. Here is a look at the good news and bad news for Cup teams heading into Sunday's race at Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez. 23XI Racing — Good news: Bubba Wallace has scored back-to-back top-10 finishes for the second time this season. … Wallace continues to have the No. 1 pit crew in the series as ranked by Racing Insights. … Tyler Reddick is tied with Kyle Larson for most wins on a road course in the Next Gen car at three. … Reddick's 13 top 10s on road courses in the Next Gen car ranks second to Chris Buescher. Bad news: Reddick has one top-10 finish in the last seven races. … Wallace has three top-10 finishes in 33 road course starts. … Riley Herbst enters the weekend 34th in points. Dustin Long, Front Row Motorsports — Good news: Zane Smith finished a season-best seventh last weekend at Michigan. … Smith has five top-20 results in the last six races. … Noah Gragson finished eighth at COTA earlier this year for his best result on a road course in Cup. … Todd Gilliland finished 10th at COTA, tying his season best. Bad news: Gilliland has qualified 30th or worse in five of the last seven races. … Gragson has finished 27th or worse in each of the last two races. Haas Factory Team — Good news: All three of Cole Custer's top-20 finishes this season have come in the last six races. Bad News: Custer's 35th-place finish at Michigan snapped a streak of seven consecutive top-30 finishes. Hendrick Motorsports — Good news: The organization has won four of the last six races on a road or street course. … Kyle Larson's six road course wins puts him tied for fourth on the all-time list. … Chase Elliott has completed all but one of the 4,231 laps run this season. … Elliott ranks third all-time with seven road course victories. … William Byron has won four of the last seven stages and is averaging 9.3 points per stage in that period. … Byron ranks first for the season in speed and restart rankings, according to Racing Insights. … Alex Bowman has five top 10s, including a win, in his last nine road course starts. Bad news: Bowman has finished 27th or worse in seven of the last nine races, dropping him from third in the points to 13th. … Byron has led 83 or more laps in four races this season but won none of those events. … Larson has two top 10s in his last eight road course starts. … Elliott has two top 10s in the last seven races. Hyak Motorsports — Good news: Ricky Stenhouse Jr. has five top-20 finishes in the last six races. Bad news: Stenhouse has fallen from 15th to 20th in the playoff standings in the past two races. … Stenhouse has two top-10 finishes in 43 career Cup road course/street course races. Joe Gibbs Racing — Good news: Denny Hamlin has won three of the last nine races this season. … Hamlin has scored points in nine consecutive stages. … Hamlin said Tuesday on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio that if fiancee Jordan Fish has not delivered their baby boy by the time he has to leave for Mexico later this week, he will skip the race. NASCAR has stated in the past that missing a race for the birth of a child is acceptable and they would grant a playoff waiver in such a case. … Should Denny Hamlin miss Mexico, JGR's reserve driver, Ryan Truex, would drive the No. 11 car. … Christopher Bell won at Circuit of the Americas in the only road course race run so far this season. … Chase Briscoe finished first in passing, according to Racing Insights, earlier this year at COTA. … Briscoe has won the pole for the last three races (Charlotte, Nashville and Michigan). … Christopher Bell has seven top 10s in the last nine races. … Ty Gibbs tied his season-best finish by placing third at Michigan. Bad news: Bell has led 10 laps in the last eight races, a stretch of 2,423 laps. … Gibbs has placed 22nd or worse in four of the last five Cup road course races. Kaulig Racing — Good news: All three of AJ Allmendinger's Cup victories have come on road courses. … Allmendinger has five top 10s in his last eight starts on a road course. … Allmendinger finished second in Mexico City in a Champ Car race in 2005. Bad news: Ty Dillon has not finished better than 15th in 26 road course starts in Cup. Legacy Motor Club — Good news: Erik Jones' 11th-place finish at Michigan gives him four top-15 results in the last five races. Bad news: Jones has no top 10s in his last 13 road course starts. … John Hunter Nemechek's best finish in eight career Cup road course starts is 21st. … Jones has no top 10s in his last 13 road course starts. Richard Childress Racing — Good news: Kyle Busch ranked first in speed, according to Racing Insights, earlier this season at COTA, the only road course race run so far. … Busch's best finish this year is a fifth-place result at COTA. … Busch won the most recent Xfinity race at Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez in 2008, although that course was a little different from what teams will race this weekend. Bad news: Austin Dillon has never finished better than 10th at a road course race in 40 starts. … Dillon has finished 19th or worse in the last four races. … Kyle Busch fell out of a playoff spot after last weekend's race at Michigan. Rick Ware Racing — Good news: Cody Ware has finished 26th or better in two of the last three races, the first time he's done that this season. Bad news: Ware's best finish in 16 career road course starts in Cup is 24th. RFK Racing — Good news: Placed three cars in the top 10 at Michigan, marking the first time the team has done that in a Cup race since July 2016 at Daytona. … Ryan Preece moved into the final playoff spot with his ninth-place finish at Michigan. … Preece has three top 10s in the last four races. … Brad Keselowski has scored top-10 finishes in two of the last three races. … Chris Buescher has the best average finish (8.7) on road courses in the Next Gen era. … Buescher won at Watkins Glen last September, his only road course win. … Buescher is coming off a season-best second-place finish at Michigan. Bad news: Keselowski is winless in 49 career Cup road course starts. Spire Motorsports — Good news: Michael McDowell has finished 15th or better in each of the last five road course races. … McDowell won a Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series race in Mexico City in November 2005. … Justin Haley finished second in Chicago in 2023 for his best road/street course result. … Carson Hocevar has scored points in 10 of the last 15 stages. … Hocevar's best finish on a road course is third at Watkins Glen last September. Bad news: McDowell has finished 21st or worse in six of the last eight races this season. Team Penske — Good news: Ryan Blaney has five top-five finishes in the last eight races. … Blaney has four top 10s in his last eight starts on a road course. … Austin Cindric has nine top 10s in 21 career road course starts. Bad news: Blaney has three finishes outside the top 30 in the last eight races. … Joey Logano has five finishes outside the top 10 in the last eight races. … Cindric's Talladega win is his only top-10 finish in the last 10 races. Trackhouse Racing — Good news: Ross Chastain has scored six top-10 finishes in the last nine races. … Chastain has scored all eight of his top-10 finishes this season after starting the race outside the top 15. … Shane van Gisbergen has been the best finishing rookie in three of the last four races. … In the last three road course races, van Gisbergen has finished no worse than seventh. … Daniel Suarez has scored back-to-back top-20 finishes heading into Mexico. Bad news: Suarez has only one top-10 finish in the last 13 road course races. Wood Brothers Racing — Good news: The 169 laps that Josh Berry has led this year is a career high. Bad news: Berry has one top-10 finish since his Las Vegas victory. … Berry has not finished better than 22nd in six Cup road course starts.
Car and Driver
4 hours ago
- Car and Driver
2026 Chevrolet Equinox EV Review, Pricing, and Specs
Overview Chevy's entry-level electric offering isn't the most exciting EV out there, but it meets the needs of folks who want a compact crossover with a plug. You'll get the best range with the 220-hp front-wheel-drive powertrain, but it leaves a bit to be desired in terms of acceleration. Go for all-wheel drive, and you get 300 hp and a 307-mile range, which should be plenty for normal daily use and won't have you stopping too often on road trips. And if you opt for GM's Super Cruise hands-free driving system, you'll arrive that much more refreshed. For a more exciting electric Chevy SUV, check out the larger Blazer EV. What's New for 2026? There are few changes for the Equinox EV this year, but a Midnight appearance package is now available on LT models and includes black wheels and dark exterior trim. Mid-range RS trims can now be had in a monotone paint scheme instead of being locked into having a black roof. Polar White Tricoat replaces Iridescent Pearl Tricoat on the options sheet and all models now come with a dual level charging cable. Pricing and Which One to Buy The price of the 2026 Chevrolet Equinox EV is expected to start around $35,000 and go up to $49,000 depending on the trim and options. LT FWD $35,000 (est) LT AWD $41,000 (est) RS FWD $45,000 (est) RS AWD $49,000 (est) 0 $10k $20k $30k $40k $50k $60k $70k $80k The base price of LT FWD is tempting, but we'd make sure to check the box for the more powerful all-wheel-drive powertrain. Then we'd add the Comfort and Active Safety 2 packages, as that gets you heated front seats, a 360-degree camera system, and a handful of driver-assistance features. Want to compare the 2026 Chevrolet Equinox EV to other vehicles you're interested in? Our new compare tool provides a comprehensive, side-by-side look at up to five cars of your choice. Compare Cars EV Motor, Power, and Performance Front-wheel-drive Equinox EVs come with a single electric motor that makes 220 horsepower; opting for the dual-motor all-wheel-drive system ups the power to 300 ponies. The front-wheel-drive powertrain doesn't exhibit the same kind of immediate thrust that's typical of electric motors, and we found it sluggish in our drive of the Equinox EV. We recommend the all-wheel-drive setup, which is significantly more potent and gives the Equinox EV a more energetic demeanor. Ride quality is comfortable, the steering is well-weighted, and we like that you can select from among multiple levels of regenerative braking, including a one-pedal driving mode. 0–60-MPH Times At our test track, the front-wheel-drive Equinox EV put down a 60-mph time of 7.7 seconds, which is comparable to gas-powered compact-SUV competitors. The all-wheel-drive model was significantly quicker, getting to 60 mph in 5.8 seconds. View Photos Michael Simari | Car and Driver Range, Charging, and Battery Life All Equinox EV models have the same size battery pack, although the range estimates vary depending on powertrain configuration. Front-wheel-drive models offer up to 319 miles of range per EPA estimates, while the all-wheel-drive version drops that down to 307 miles. In our real-world 75-mph highway range test, both versions of the Equinox EV delivered a result of 260 miles, which we think comes down to the different wheels and tires on our test cars. All models come with DC fast-charging capability, which Chevrolet says can add 70 miles of range to the battery in as little as 10 minutes. Fuel Economy and Real-World MPGe The EPA hasn't released any fuel economy information for the 2026 Equinox EV yet, but the 2025 model earned ratings of 109 MPGe combined for the front-wheel-drive model and up to 103 MPGe combined for the all-wheel-drive version. In our 75-mph real-world highway fuel-economy test of the all-wheel-drive Equinox EV, we recorded a result of 91 MPGe, slightly beating the EPA's 88 MPGe highway estimate. MPGe stands for miles per gallon of gas equivalent, an EPA metric that estimates PHEV and EV vehicle fuel efficiency. For more information about the Equinox EV's fuel economy, visit the EPA's website. Interior, Comfort, and Cargo At 57 cubic feet with the rear seat stowed, the Equinox EV's cargo capacity isn't quite as capacious as the gasoline-powered model's, but the rest of the interior feels about as roomy. Inside, buyers will find a digital dashboard similar to that of the Silverado EV as well as a large 17.7-inch touchscreen in the center of the dashboard. Base models are fairly basic and lack even power-adjustable front seats, but moving up to the higher LT trims or RS models unlocks plenty of features, including heated seats, power seats, a sunroof, and dual-zone climate control. Opt for an RS and you can order the saucy Adrenaline Red interior theme. View Photos Michael Simari | Car and Driver Infotainment and Connectivity Every Equinox EV comes with an 11.0-inch digital gauge display with a 17.7-inch secondary touchscreen for infotainment. Unfortunately, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone-mirroring capabilities are not offered, but the infotainment system does include built-in apps such as Google Maps and Spotify, and uplevel models get in-dash navigation and an onboard Wi-Fi hotspot. Safety and Driver-Assistance Features All models ship with basic driver-assistance features as standard, including automated emergency braking, automatic high-beam headlamps, and lane-keeping assist. For buyers seeking the most up-to-date tech, the Equinox EV is offered with GM's Super Cruise hands-free driving system. For more information about the Equinox EV's crash-test results, visit the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) websites. Key safety features include: Standard automated emergency braking with pedestrian detection Standard lane-departure warning with lane-keeping assist Available adaptive cruise control with hands-free driving mode Warranty and Maintenance Coverage Chevrolet provides standard coverage limits for the Equinox EV's electric powertrain components. It also includes the first maintenance visit, but overall coverage doesn't come close to that of the Hyundai Ioniq 5. Limited warranty covers three years or 36,000 miles Powertrain warranty covers five years or 60,000 miles Electric components are covered for eight years or 100,000 miles Complimentary maintenance is covered for the first visit Specifications Specifications 2024 Chevrolet Equinox EV 3RS Vehicle Type: front-motor, front-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 4-door wagon PRICE Base/As Tested: $46,795/$50,995 Options: Active Safety Package 3 (Super Cruise and enhanced automatic parking assist), $2700; sunroof, $1500 POWERTRAIN Motor: permanent-magnet synchronous AC Power: 213 hp Torque: 236 lb-ft Battery Pack: liquid-cooled lithium-ion, 85.0 kWh Onboard Charger: 11.5 kW Peak DC Fast-Charge Rate: 150 kW Transmission: direct-drive CHASSIS Suspension, F/R: struts/multilink Brakes, F/R: 12.6-in vented disc/12.4-in vented disc Tires: Continental CrossContact RX ContiSeal 275/40R-21 107H M+S TPC3201 DIMENSIONS Wheelbase: 116.3 in Length: 190.6 in Width: 76.9 in Height: 64.8 in Passenger Volume, F/R: 55/47 ft3 Cargo Volume, behind F/R: 57/26 ft3 Curb Weight: 4923 lb C/D TEST RESULTS 60 mph: 7.7 sec 1/4-Mile: 16.1 sec @ 87 mph 100 mph: 22.4 sec Results above omit 1-ft rollout of 0.3 sec. Rolling Start, 5–60 mph: 7.7 sec Top Gear, 30–50 mph: 2.9 sec Top Gear, 50–70 mph: 4.7 sec Top Speed (gov ltd): 113 mph Braking, 70–0 mph: 189 ft Roadholding, 300-ft Skidpad: 0.78 g C/D FUEL ECONOMY AND CHARGING 75-mph Highway Range: 260 mi Average DC Fast-Charge Rate, 10–90%: 94 kW DC Fast-Charge Time, 10–90%: 51 min EPA FUEL ECONOMY Combined/City/Highway: 108/117/99 MPGe Range: 319 mi == 2024 Chevrolet Equinox EV 2LT AWD Vehicle Type: front- and rear-motor, all-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 4-door wagon PRICE Base/As Tested: $46,595/$50,795 Options: Active Safety Package 3 (Super Cruise and enhanced automatic parking assist), $2700; sunroof, $1500 POWERTRAIN Front Motor: permanent-magnet synchronous AC, 241 hp, 225 lb-ft Rear Motor: induction AC, 90 hp, 121 lb-ft Combined Power: 288 hp Combined Torque: 333 lb-ft Battery Pack: liquid-cooled lithium-ion, 85.0 kWh Onboard Charger: 11.5 kW Peak DC Fast-Charge Rate: 150 kW Transmissions, F/R: direct-drive CHASSIS Suspension, F/R: struts/multilink Brakes, F/R: 12.6-in vented disc/12.4-in vented disc Tires: Michelin Primacy All Season 245/55R-19 103H M+S TPC3200 DIMENSIONS Wheelbase: 116.3 in Length: 190.6 in Width: 76.9 in Height: 64.8 in Passenger Volume, F/R: 55/47 ft3 Cargo Volume, behind F/R: 57/26 ft3 Curb Weight: 5041 lb C/D TEST RESULTS 60 mph: 5.8 sec 1/4-Mile: 14.6 sec @ 94 mph 100 mph: 17.0 sec Results above omit 1-ft rollout of 0.3 sec. Rolling Start, 5–60 mph: 5.9 sec Top Gear, 30–50 mph: 2.3 sec Top Gear, 50–70 mph: 3.7 sec Top Speed (gov ltd): 112 mph Braking, 70–0 mph: 178 ft Roadholding, 300-ft Skidpad: 0.81 g C/D FUEL ECONOMY 75-mph Highway Driving: 91 MPGe 75-mph Highway Range: 260 mi EPA FUEL ECONOMY Combined/City/Highway: 96/101/90 MPGe Range: 285 mi C/D TESTING EXPLAINED More Features and Specs
