Austin Hill will run a select number of NASCAR Cup Series races in 2026 for Richard Childress Racing, the team announced Wednesday. He’ll be running the No. 33 Chevrolet with sponsorship from United Rentals.
The exact number of Cup Series races Hill will run this year is not yet known, but RCR has announced when his first race will be. Hill is set to enter the Straight Talk Wireless 500 at Phoenix Raceway on March 8.
“United Rentals continues to be a special part of my career and carrying their colors once again in the Cup Series means a lot,” Hill said. “I’ve represented their company for almost a decade now and it never gets old winning races and having success together.”
Building From a Solid Foundation
Since 2022, the No. 33 Chevrolet has been a part-time third for Richard Childress Racing, who fields the No. 3 and No. 8 full-time. In that span Hill has made ten Cup starts with RCR, including a best finish of ninth at the 2025 Chicago street course race.
“The No. 33 team was able to get our first top-10 last season in Chicago, and I genuinely felt like we had a shot to win the fall race at Talladega,” Hill continued. “Racing on Sundays full time is the end goal, so expanding the track lineup will be a good challenge to gain experience. Grateful to Richard, every man and woman at RCR, ECR, and CT Spring, and of course United Rentals for the opportunity.”
Austin Hill won’t be the only driver to get behind the wheel of the No. 33 Chevrolet in 2026. His O’Reilly Auto Parts Series teammate, Jesse Love, will race at Circuit of the Americas on Sunday to kick off his own part-time Cup Series schedule. C4 Energy is sponsoring Love for his sixth career Cup start.
Austin Hill’s Cup Series Prospects
Now in his fifth full-time season in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series, Austin Hill is a 15-time winner and proven drafting track ace. He opened the 2026 season with a dominant victory at Daytona International Speedway, and nearly won again at EchoPark Speedway in Atlanta before being turned sideways on the final lap.
Hill continues to raise his stock as a potential future NASCAR Cup Series driver. The 31-year-old is open about his desire to earn a coveted spot racing on Sundays. Richard Childress Racing has at least recognized his value at drafting tracks, entering him several times in the Cup Series at Daytona and Talladega Superspeedway over the last few years.
