Perennial NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series championship contender Austin Hill will make select starts in the NASCAR Cup Series for Richard Childress Racing this season, driving the No. 33 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1.
Hill will make his first NASCAR Cup Series start of 2026 in the Straight Talk Wireless 500 at Phoenix Raceway, with United Rentals, a long-time partner of the Winston, Georgia-native, adorning the entry.
NEWS: United Rentals to sponsor select NASCAR Cup series races with Richard Childress Racing’s Austin Hill in 2026
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— RCR (@RCRracing) February 25, 2026
“United Rentals continues to be a special part of my career, and carrying their colors once again in the Cup Series means a lot,” said Hill. “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. 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.”
The 2026 NASCAR season marks the fifth year of partnership for Richard Childress Racing and United Rentals, as the company joined the organization when Austin Hill took over the driving duties of the No. 21 Chevrolet in what was then the NASCAR Xfinity Series. The company has been a partner of Hill’s racing endeavors for nine years.
“We value the strong partnership we’ve built with Austin Hill and Richard Childress Racing and are excited to continue that momentum into the 2026 Cup Series season,” said Craig Schmidt, senior vice president of sales – national accounts, United Rentals. “Together, we’re focused on delivering results and showcasing the skill and teamwork that drives NASCAR success. It’s shaping up to be a great year, and we’re proud to be part of it.”
Hill is a 15-time race-winner in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series, and has been highly-regarded as one of the best superspeedways in the history of the series. In February, Hill won the season-opening United Rentals 300 at Daytona International Speedway, an event that he has won in four of the last five seasons.
“Everyone at RCR is proud of our long-standing partnership with United Rentals and looking forward to building on the strong branding, at-track activation, and hosting programs we have developed together over the last five years,” said Mike Verlander, president of RCR. “United Rentals has been instrumental in Austin Hill’s continued rise and success, and together we’re looking forward to watching him in the NASCAR Cup Series for select races in 2026.”
Since joining RCR in 2022, Hill has amassed 15 starts in the NASCAR Cup Series, with his first top-10 finish coming last season at the Chicago Street Course. During his time at NASCAR’s top-level, Hill has three DNF’s and an average finish of 26.1.
The Straight Talk Wireless 500 will take place on Sunday, March 8 at 3:30 PM ET on FS1, MRN, and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.
