Crew chief Rodney Childers will join Harvick in 2014

• Rodney Childers will be the crew chief for Kevin Harvick at Stewart-Haas Racing in 2014
• Childers is currently the crew chief for the No. 55 Toyota of Michael Waltrip Racing
• Childers has been at MWR for five years%2C working Waltrip%2C Mark Martin and Brian Vickers

BRISTOL, Tenn. — Rodney Childers, the hottest free agent crew chief in NASCAR, has decided to join Kevin Harvick at Stewart-Haas Racing next season.

Childers' departure was confirmed by Michael Waltrip Racing, where he currently is a crew chief for the No. 55 car (which has been split by drivers Mark Martin, Brian Vickers and Michael Waltrip).

The contract with his new team is "not 100% done," Childers said, but added: "I think everybody has a good idea what it is."

As recently as last week, Waltrip said he expected Childers to return to the No. 55 and crew chief a full-season effort with Vickers next year.

"We feel like it's imminent," Waltrip said Aug. 13. "It's going to happen. Obviously, putting together a driver/sponsor combination to go race for a championship is very appealing."

But another opportunity turned out to be more appealing to Childers. Harvick decided to move to SHR last November, where he'll team with Tony Stewart and Danica Patrick in the team's No. 4 car.

Childers, who has been at MWR for five years, said there was no one thing that factored into his choice.

"It's just a personal decision," he said. "I've thought about it for a long time and just woke up one day and that's what my heart told me I should do."

Childers said deciding not to join Vickers — who he'd known since childhood — in a run for the championship could put a strain on their relationship.

"The part with Brian is the hardest part for sure," he said. "We've had a long relationship together. It'll be difficult doing these next few races together, but hopefully they work out."

Vickers said no team was all about one person and said MWR would be "on the hunt" for the right crew chief. He did not have any candidates or a timetable for a hire in mind.

But the 29-year-old said he was surprised by Childers' decision.

"I was only upset or disappointed the way it was handled with the team and me personally," Vickers said. "But at the end of the day, if someone wants to leave, they should leave. The last thing you'd ever want is someone on your team who doesn't want to be there, whatever the reason is."

As for the rest of this year? Childers said he was "not exactly sure yet" if he'll be able to finish out the season with MWR.

"We're just going to play it day by day and talk things over and see what's best for MWR," he said. "I'm willing to do whatever it takes to (leave) this team a winning contender when I leave and looking forward to next year.

Stewart-Haas spokesman Mike Arning acknowledged the possibility of Childers joining the team next year.

"Stewart-Haas Racing has not signed any new crew chiefs for 2014, but the team thinks very highly of Rodney Childers and he is on a short list of candidates," Arning said.

SHR competition director Greg Zipadelli said Childers was a friend and the organization "thinks a lot of him." But he said there was nothing signed as of Friday.

"We would love to make him part of Stewart-Haas, but we are not there yet," he said.

Mark Martin, who has worked with Childers for the past two years, called the crew chief "an amazing person."

"It's funny how things work out," Martin said. "My mission in February was to help him secure a championship-caliber sponsor and driver for 2014 so that he could race for a championship in the No. 55.

"I feel like we still accomplished that, it's just that he may have an opportunity to do it (somewhere else)."

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