NASCAR driver set to make first RCR Cup start in two years

Austin Hill's NASCAR career has continued to show great development since he signed with Richard Childress Racing's Xfinity Series program. The 29-year-old made his mark in the Truck Series with Hattori Racing Enterprises for several seasons, winning eight races, and a move to Richard Childress Racing has paid off even more.

In his first full season with Richard Childress' team in 2022, Hill won at Daytona International Superspeedway and Atlanta Motor Speedway before finishing in sixth place in the standings. Last year, he won at the same two tracks, plus Las Vegas Motor Speedway and Pocono Raceway.

Had it not been for a run-in with then-teammate Sheldon Creed at Martinsville Speedway, Hill may have found himself in first Championship 4 as well. Instead, he had to settle for fifth place in the standings. Through seven races in 2024, he sits in third in the standings, again with wins at Daytona and Atlanta.

Austin Hill set for NASCAR Cup Series return

His labor at Richard Childress Racing was rewarded with a contract extension last year, and this season, he has landed an opportunity to further his NASCAR career with the Welcome, North Carolina-based team in the Cup Series.

The team announced that Hill is set to run four Cup Series races, piloting the No. 33 Chevrolet with United Rentals as the primary sponsor.

The first of Hill's four scheduled races is this Sunday afternoon's Autotrader EchoPark Automotive 400 at Texas Motor Speedway. The other three are set to be announced at a later date.

Hill made his first -- and to this day, his only -- start behind the wheel of the No. 33 Chevrolet at Michigan International Speedway in August 2022 and finished in 18th place.

Last season, Hill competed in five Cup Series races for Beard Motorsports and recorded a top finish of 14th place at Daytona.

The Winston, Georgia's native has never competed at Texas in the Cup Series. His best Truck Series finish at the four-turn, 1.5-mile (2.414-kilometer) Fort Worth, Texas oval is second place in 2020, and his best Xfinity Series finish there is second in 2022.

The Autotrader EchoPark Automotive 400 is set to be broadcast live on Fox Sports 1 from Texas Motor Speedway beginning at 3:30 p.m. ET this Sunday, April 14. Start a free trial of FuboTV and don't miss it!