Richard Childress Racing announced on Wednesday that Austin Hill will drive the No. 33 Chevrolet in select NASCAR Cup Series races during the 2026 season, with sponsorship from United Rentals. Hill is scheduled to make his 2026 Cup debut on Sunday, March 8, at Phoenix Raceway, marking his 16th career start in the Cup Series.
Hill Reflects on Partnership with United Rentals and Goals for the Cup Series
Austin Hill expressed his enthusiasm about continuing his longstanding relationship with United Rentals in the Cup Series. Having represented the company for nearly a decade, Hill highlighted the milestone of securing the team’s first top-10 finish last season in Chicago and feeling competitive at the fall race in Talladega.
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. 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.” Austin Hill, NASCAR driver
He emphasized his ambition to race full-time on Sundays, viewing the expansion of his race schedule as an opportunity to gain valuable experience.
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, NASCAR driver
Austin Hill’s Success and Performance in NASCAR’s O’Reilly Auto Parts Series
The 31-year-old driver is in his fifth full season competing full-time in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series (NOAPS), where he has made a significant impact on superspeedways. Hill started the 2026 NOAPS season with a win at Daytona International Speedway, achieving his fourth victory in the last five season openers at superspeedways.
Since becoming a full-time competitor in NOAPS in 2022, Hill has collected 15 wins, including 11 at superspeedway tracks. He leads in laps led (887) and stage wins (18), while ranking second in stage points (328) during the current stage racing era on drafting tracks, according to motorsports analyst Daniel Cespedes.
Alongside his NOAPS success, Hill has made select starts in the NASCAR Cup Series over the past four years, with his best finish being 14th place at Daytona in 2022.
Upcoming Implications for Richard Childress Racing and Hill’s Career Path
Hill’s increasing involvement with Richard Childress Racing in the Cup Series indicates a strategic effort to broaden his experience at NASCAR’s highest level, potentially paving the way for a full-time Cup schedule in the future. The extension of sponsorship from United Rentals underscores the strong partnership between the driver and the team, which has brought competitive milestones in recent seasons.
As Hill continues to build momentum through select races in 2026, his performance at Phoenix Raceway and other upcoming events will be closely watched by fans and team officials alike, serving as a barometer for his readiness to compete at the sport’s top tier on a consistent basis.
NEWS: United Rentals to sponsor select NASCAR Cup series races with Richard Childress Racing’s Austin Hill in 2026
For more information, please visit https://t.co/MagVYvAJQv pic.twitter.com/bk6N8lCyxv
— RCR (@RCRracing) February 25, 2026
Austin Hill at drafting tracks vs. all drivers in the Stage Racing era:
Wins: 11 (1st)
Laps Led: 887 (1st)
Stage Wins: 18 (1st)
Stage Points: 328 (2nd)All-time, 73.3% of his wins have been on drafting tracks, the highest rate of any driver with 5+ career wins. pic.twitter.com/yVJ8V5sFdk
— Daniel Céspedes (@_DanielCespedes) February 15, 2026
