TALLDEGA, Ala. — Kevin Harvick supports owner Richard Childress' decision to swap his crew with teammate Casey Mears' team, even though it will separate him from longtime crew chief Todd Berrier.

"You're happy and sad in one sense, but you just go and do the best you can and I think in the end it will be," Harvick said after qualifying 19th at Talladega Superspeedway on Saturday. "Everybody's positive about it. We want the best thing for the company."

Disappointed in the performance this season with Harvick and Mears, Childress made the decision this week to swap the entire crews following Sunday's race. Harvick had a decent start to the season, but three poor races have dropped him to 16th in the standings.

Mears, in his first season with Richard Childress Racing, is 22nd.

Although the season is only eight races old, Childress said he couldn't risk waiting to make a dramatic change without putting the two drivers too far out of contention for the Chase for the championship. RCR drivers Clint Bowyer and Jeff Burton are both ranked inside the top 12 and currently eligible to make the Chase.

Harvick, a three-time Chase qualifier, is RCR's star driver and supportive of Childress' ideas. But he said he struggled with knowing he will no longer work with Berrier, who first teamed with Harvick in the Nationwide Series.

They won the 2001 title in that series, and then eight Sprint Cup races after moving up to the top series in 2003. Among those were victories in the Daytona 500 and at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

But Harvick goes into Sunday's race with a 79-race winless streak that dates to the 2007 Daytona win.

"Todd is one of my best friends in the world, and that's the part I've had the most trouble coping with," Harvick said.

Harvick will begin working with Mears' crew on Monday, with Gil Martin leading the team. Berrier and crew will work with Mears.

Harvick and Mears both said Childress did not consult them on the crew swap.

"When you own a company, you've got to make some decisions that you think are right for your company," Harvick said. "Richard feels strongly about it and I think everybody's got some enthusiasm about it."