Setting an ordinary in a sport that competes for 38 weeks a yr is troublesome. Doing so for 418 weeks over 11 years? A Herculean job.
And but for over a decade, the No. 4 crew at Stewart-Haas Racing has accomplished precisely that. That dynasty will formally come to an finish, nevertheless, when the checkered flag waves on Nov. 10 at Phoenix Raceway within the finale of the 2024 NASCAR Cup Collection season.
The prequel of this ultimate chapter was written a yr in the past when 2014 champion Kevin Harvick retired from full-time competitors. His dominating presence behind the wheel of these machines overseen by Rodney Childers, ready by automotive chief Robert “Cheddar” Smith and watched carefully by store foreman Dale Fischlein propelled the No. 4 automotive into NASCAR lore like no different from the mid-2010s by Harvick’s swan-song season.
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As we speak, the four-car crew of Stewart-Haas Racing has solely days left earlier than it shutters, the crew reorganizing in 2025 as Haas Manufacturing unit Workforce to discipline one Cup automotive and its two Xfinity Collection opponents. The fact for Childers set in a while in the past, however some days that actuality is extra obvious than others.
“When it was sort of time to begin cleansing out my workplace,” Childers instructed NASCAR.com, “that was sort of a type of days that you simply actually begin enthusiastic about all of the stuff that we’ve accomplished right here and the races that we’ve received and all that sort of stuff. And taking stuff dwelling and all that sort of stuff makes you consider all of it.”
Childers is taking these objects dwelling in bits at a time “as an alternative of taking a U-Haul dwelling.” At this level, he’d in all probability want the most important truck they provide anyway. Collectively, he, Harvick and Co. mixed to win 37 races of their 10 years collectively earlier than Josh Berry hopped into the automotive for the 2024 marketing campaign.
With the ultimate two races for Stewart-Haas Racing immediately in entrance of the windshield, right here’s a glance again at what made the No. 4 crew so dominant — so feared — in its tenure:
STARTING STRONG
This story begins within the fall of 2013 earlier than the inexperienced flag ever waved over the No. 4 automotive in a points-paying competitors.
Childers was within the midst of ending his time at Michael Waltrip Racing, the place he’d served as crew chief for 5 seasons with Waltrip, David Reutimann, Mark Martin and Brian Vickers. His automobiles through the years — from scoring wins with Reutimann and Vickers at MWR to his prior days with Scott Riggs and Elliott Sadler at Evernham Motorsports — had been sufficient to catch Harvick’s consideration. Chosen to steer the No. 4 crew starting with the 2014 season, Childers was tasked with piecing collectively what that group wanted to seem like.
“Kevin believing in me and giving me an opportunity was key primary,” Childers stated. “The remainder was placing collectively the entire puzzle of getting the correct store foreman and the correct automotive chief and the correct folks. And I nonetheless don’t even understand how I did all that.
“I used to be so blessed to return throughout such good folks, and most of them are nonetheless with us 11 years later. And for me, it was life-changing, proper? I imply, I had three wins as a Cup crew chief, and now 40 plus the All-Star Race and (34) poles now and all these items that we didn’t have earlier than. So all of us which were on the 4 automotive this complete time have been extraordinarily blessed and lucky to be on this atmosphere, to work with any person like Kevin and to do issues that we did.”
And so preparations started for a Dec. 8, 2013, take a look at at Charlotte Motor Speedway. A number of groups hit the 1.5-mile oval able to be taught. The No. 4 crew, with SHR’s then-alliance with Hendrick Motorsports and Chevrolet, was able to dominate.
“Going to this primary take a look at, we’re going to deal with it like we’re going to win a championship,” Childers recalled. “This isn’t only a take a look at automotive. This isn’t only a take a look at engine. This isn’t only a take a look at gear. This isn’t a take a look at transmission. Like, I would like the very best stuff that we presumably have on this constructing. I would like the very best engine that we will presumably put in it from Hendrick; the very best gear, the very best transmission, the very best hubs, the very best bearings, the very best oils. Like, we didn’t simply deal with it like a take a look at. That was the beginning of setting that instance of that is how we’re going to function.”
The outcomes had been instant. The automotive, beforehand utilized by the No. 39 crew with driver Ryan Newman and stripped, rebuilt and rebuffed by the brand new No. 4 group, was a direct rocket.
“I believe it actually set the tone as to, we didn’t need to beat you. We wished to beat you badly,” Harvick instructed NASCAR.com. “All of us had somewhat little bit of a chip on our shoulder as to the issues that we thought we had been able to doing, and everyone wished to go show that.”
Flashback:
With Daytona solely two months away, it was important for the crew to know the alternatives at hand, what the life like ceiling for the crew may very well be and the hassle wanted to realize these lofty targets.
“It wasn’t simply Stewart-Haas at that exact time that wished this all to work,” Harvick stated. “It was additionally Rick Hendrick and Hendrick Motorsports. And I additionally needed to sit down and perceive what the alliance was and what we had the potential of utilizing from the assets at HMS, and what we might do with that alliance. And it was one thing that I felt was fairly essential to have within the puzzle to win a championship.”
If you happen to ask Cheddar Smith, that instant success was a credit score to Childers.
“That’s the worth that Rodney actually delivered to the desk, proper?” Smith stated “Like, I can lead the folks and we will construct the crew collectively. And I can rally the troops and get it accomplished. However Rodney got here out of the field on the finish of ’13 and knew precisely how he wished his automobiles constructed. He knew precisely what he wished optimized on the automobiles straight out of the gate. We had a ton of velocity, and it was actually particular.”
SETTING THE STANDARD
Harvick successful at Phoenix in simply his second begin with SHR might be the least stunning a part of this story. However regardless of that instantaneous berth into the newly rebranded elimination-style NASCAR Playoffs, the outcomes didn’t instantly scream “success.”
Of their first seven races collectively, Harvick and the No. 4 crew completed thirty sixth or worse 4 instances, twice leading to DNFs with simply two prime 10s regardless of a mixed 277 laps led.
“We had numerous failures and numerous issues go fallacious — new crew blues,” Harvick stated. “However the factor that we by no means, ever struggled with was how briskly we might run. And that was at all times the piece that we’d come again (to). We’d lose a race or have one thing go fallacious or regardless of the case was, and the conferences would at all times finish with, ‘Effectively we had the quickest automotive, so we simply must get this labored out.””
And did they ever. A win at Darlington Raceway within the Southern 500 during which Harvick led 238 laps in the end sparked the crew’s turnaround in Week 8 of the 2014 season. The tear the No. 4 crew proceeded to launch towards was almost unbelievable. Within the inaugural elimination-style playoff period, a win at Charlotte Motor Speedway launched the group into to the Spherical of 8, during which they scored the walk-off victory at Phoenix Raceway to propel into the Championship 4. At Homestead-Miami Speedway, there was no stopping Harvick, who led 54 laps en path to the crew’s crowning second with a NASCAR Cup Collection championship, capping the season with 5 wins, 14 prime fives, 20 prime 10s and simply these two pesky DNFs from the early portion of the season.
One way or the other, a way, they had been even higher in 2015. Although they fell quick within the title race, their statistics had been unfathomable: 16 top-two finishes (three of which had been wins), 23 prime fives, 28 prime 10s, one DNF and a median end of 8.7 throughout 36 races.
“We had been the usual,” Harvick stated.
This was a degree of dominance not seen because the peak years of Jimmie Johnson and Chad Knaus — at this level, quasi-teammates by the Hendrick alliance — who served because the No. 4 crew’s inspiration. That degree of success introduced a wholly completely different mindset to every member of the crew — to the purpose the place robust second-place finishes weren’t sufficient.
“I can keep in mind being indignant,” Smith recalled. “Like, we’d load the automotive on the elevate gate, and the journey up the elevate gate, we wouldn’t even communicate to one another as a result of we completed second. It felt like we had failed. However it was enjoyable to have these expectations.”
Regardless of — or maybe as a result of — of the crew’s dominance, how the crew carried itself was essential to Childers.
“Sure, we had numerous confidence, however we tried to remain extraordinarily humble, too,” Childers stated. “You already know, we labored actually arduous — everyone right here at Stewart-Haas did. And we knew that everyone was our stuff each minute that we had been on the race monitor, whether or not that was photos, whether or not that was various things. I imply, we simply tried to maneuver issues round and do various things each week and hold folks all these various things. And generally, we’d make them take a look at the fallacious issues simply so that they weren’t trying on the proper factor.
“However the entire storage positively regarded as much as us. They knew that we had been going to be quick each week. They knew our little nuances and particulars of what we had been doing and what we had been saying and all that sort of stuff. And it was simply numerous enjoyable, actually, to be in that place.”
With such dominating outcomes, post-race technical inspection was a journey for a crew that flexed each little bit of grey space potential.
“It was additionally new for us to be those that had their automobiles torn aside in tech week after week after week,” Harvick stated, “as a result of whenever you end second and also you end first and also you do this 16 of the 36, occasions. I imply, your automotive’s getting torn aside in half the races, repeatedly. And so to proceed that success, regardless of in the event that they took this away or they took that away or they modified this or didn’t like that, and then you definitely make all these changes — I imply, we simply stored arising with what was subsequent.
“And that was one thing that, particularly after the 2014 championship, the primary dialog that we had is: OK, how will we hold this championship mentality week after week for the entire season and never go lay an egg in 2015? That was actually as essential because it was in coming in in 2014 to have a superb yr was to not go have a foul yr after you received the championship and everyone name it a fluke. So we positively put that to mattress. Then it was simply, we had been simply the 4 crew after that.”
ESTABLISHING A LEGACY
To carry out and execute at that prime a degree for any time period was troublesome. And but, this group did so not simply week after week however yr after yr. From 2014 by 2020, Harvick and the No. 4 crew received at the least twice a season yearly — the truth is, two was their fewest in that span.
4 wins in 2016. Eight wins in 2018. 9 wins in 2020.
For a decade, this crew turned almost untouchable — even regardless of a producer change to Ford in 2017.
“I believe the largest factor was simply numerous arduous work and numerous communication and numerous grit,” Childers stated. “Simply numerous various things. Typically, it’s arduous to maintain that going and arduous to maintain that tough work going. You already know, the quantity of drive it takes to be that aggressive on a regular basis was loopy — and to look again on it now’s much more loopy.
“The issues that we did and the way in which that we raced … we didn’t take no for a solution in any respect, and it didn’t matter what it was. We might rebuild a automotive on Tuesday if we needed to, if we knew one thing was going to make it higher. We might re-wrap it twice if we thought one thing was going to make it higher. We had been simply after it on a regular basis. And I believe simply that quantity of dedication like we had been speaking about with the folks. … To have a gaggle of individuals which can be keen to remain that dedicated and to have that a lot grit each single week is difficult to seek out.”
However that was the tradition established by Childers, who was unwavering in setting these expectations sky excessive, and Harvick, whose acceptance of something lower than finest efforts drove the crew ahead. Harvick would let you know as a lot.
“My group on that automotive realized actually shortly that I used to be categorized as an (expletive) due to the truth that the expectations that I had had been, ‘Hey, it’s essential to do your job, and it’s essential to do it effectively, and should you’re not going to do it effectively, we have to go discover any person else,’ ” Harvick stated. ” ‘And should you don’t, should you’re not going to do this proper, I’m going to name it out, and we’re going to make it so depressing that you simply’re going to go some other place.’ The lucky factor that I had about that group that all of us had with one another was the truth that let’s imagine, ‘Hey, you didn’t do an excellent job this weekend. I didn’t like this. I didn’t like that. He didn’t like this, he didn’t like that.’ And everyone would stand up and say, ‘OK, we’re gonna make that higher. I’ll work on this. You’re employed on that. And what do you need to do tomorrow?’ ”
It was an perspective that permeated the group from prime to backside.
“Rodney is clearly the heartbeat of the crew,” Smith stated. “He’s a pacesetter. He’s the man that, on the day by day, retains everyone motivated, and likewise holds that normal to his tradition of we had been going to be that means. It was extra than simply doing what it takes to win. It was the sort of high quality of those that we would choose. It will be — not solely are we going to do all the things we will to win, however we’re going to be variety and we’re going to make use of grace.”
CLOSING THE CHAPTER
And so simply two races stay for the No. 4 crew at Stewart-Haas Racing.
Berry fills the driving force’s seat today in what was anticipated to be a multiyear stint with Childers and Co., earlier than the crew introduced its impending shutdown mid-spring. If just for these 36 races, Berry was in a position to peek backstage and perceive what made this group so good, so robust for thus lengthy.
“It begins with Rodney and Cheddar for certain and simply the leaders they’re and the folks they’re and the hassle that they put into every week,” Berry instructed NASCAR.com. “I believe clearly the preparation of the automotive is one factor, however then simply being good leaders together with your folks and establishing a fantastic tradition like they’ve. I imply, it’s only a nice group, actually.”
Berry is aware of what’s subsequent for him as the brand new driver of the No. 21 Wooden Brothers Racing Ford. Likewise, Childers shored up his plans over the summer time and can lead the No. 7 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet with driver Justin Haley. However Berry already has concepts to carry to new crew chief Miles Stanley in 2025.
“There’s most positively going to be issues that I’ve taken away,” he stated, “and I’ve already talked about with with my new group about issues that they did they usually did effectively and the way I used to be handled all year long and the way supportive of me they had been and believed in me — simply the arrogance that they helped construct in me, particularly early within the season after we had been getting began. I believe all these issues are simply so essential to the general well being and the tradition of the crew as you undergo such an extended season.”
Defining the legacy of a crew could be troublesome. For automotive chief Smith, one phrase got here to thoughts.
“Incomplete,” he stated. “I believe that there was quite a bit left for this group to do collectively. I believe that the caliber of individuals which can be on it nonetheless and Josh Berry — I might give virtually something in my profession to have Josh for an additional season with the members of the 4 crew to point out everyone, not solely what we’re able to however what he’s able to.”
“I don’t suppose both of us ever had dreamed that we’d be shutting the doorways of SHR,” Berry stated.
There are a selection of crew members nonetheless on the No. 4 crew who’ve been there because the group’s inception. However nobody — not rear changer Dakota Ratcliff nor the 2 hauler drivers who’ve been there the entire time — have something on store foreman Dale Fischlein.
“He has been a key determine with the entire thing from Day 1,” Childers stated. “He was actually my first person who I used to be working to rent. Like he was the primary home I went to. I imply, I didn’t even wait to attempt to get him to go wherever. I simply confirmed up at his home. We had labored collectively at Evernham (Motorsports). After I knew I wanted a store foreman, I simply confirmed up at his home, knocked on the door, sat at his kitchen desk. And I believe he appreciated that facet of it and has been right here ever since.”
At its core, that perception in every member of the crew encapsulates what has made Childers profitable as a pacesetter.
“I believe the legacy of the 4 crew is simply going on the market and doing what we did in 2020 and 2018,” Childers stated. “All these years of dominating observe and being the quickest in observe and sitting on poles and all these issues. I believe that legacy is simply to be a champion and be a contender.”
Harvick defines the legacy as we speak by pointing to the crew’s work ethic, its character. He factors to the preparation, the relentless grind to not let down the individual beside you.
“That preparation and that perception that went together with that crew,” Harvick stated, “is second to none and possibly modified the tradition for lots of issues that go along with the race automotive and the expectation within the storage to simply have all the things that you’ve got be set on kill week after week. And it places numerous strain on the opposite groups, but additionally it in all probability modified the tradition in lots of them as effectively, as a result of we actually checked out Chad and Jimmie and stated, ‘OK, if we’re going to beat these guys, there needs to be a sure mindset that goes with this.’ And we had been lucky to have the ability to do {that a} couple instances.”
Harvick’s driving profession could also be over. Berry, Childers and others could also be sporting completely different groups’ colours in 2025 and past.
However the legacy — the usual — of the No. 4 crew won’t quickly be forgotten.
