Richard Childress Racing announced today that NASCAR Xfinity Series driver Austin Hill will make his NASCAR Cup Series debut this weekend at Michigan International Speedway. Hill will pilot the No. 33 Chevrolet with primary sponsorship from Bennett Transportation & Logistics. Hill’s first-ever Cup Series start will also be backed by RCR partners Alsco Uniforms, United Rentals, Global Industrial and Realtree on his Chevrolet Camaro ZL1.
“As a kid growing up in this sport, getting the chance to run a NASCAR Cup Series car is the ultimate dream, especially with a team like Richard Childress Racing that has so much history and success,” said Hill, who currently competes full-time in the Xfinity Series for RCR in the No. 21 Chevrolet. “I’m so thankful that Richard Childress and everyone at RCR have so much faith in me. It will be a learning weekend, for sure, but I’ve had success at Michigan International Speedway in the past and can’t wait to take on the track’s wide, sweeping corners in a NASCAR Cup Series Chevrolet.”
Hill, 28, won a NASCAR Truck Series race at MIS in 2019. The 2022 Xfinity Series Sunoco Rookie of the Year contender will pull double-duty at Michigan, competing in both the Xfinity Series and Cup Series races. In Xfinity Series competition, Hill has two wins so far this season (Daytona International Speedway, Atlanta Motor Speedway-2) as well as eight top fives, 12 top 10s and 223 laps led.
“Austin Hill has shown talent in every Series he’s raced in during his career, so I couldn’t be more excited to have him behind the wheel of a Cup Series car,” said Richard Childress, Chairman and CEO of Richard Childress Racing. “He’s having a strong season in the Xfinity Series, and I know he will be just as competitive and eager to learn behind the wheel of a Cup Series car.”
Prior to his full-time season in the Xfinity Series, Hill spent four full-time seasons in the Truck Series, where he tallied eight wins, 27 top fives and 54 top-10 finishes. Hill also won the 2020 Truck Series regular season championship.
Bennett Family of Companies, a McDonough, Ga.-based company, will be the primary partner on the No. 33 Chevrolet for Hill’s Cup Series debut. Bennett made its NASCAR debut with Hill and the No. 21 Xfinity Series team in the season-opener at Daytona International Speedway and partnered with RCR on the No. 3 Chevrolet and driver Austin Dillon at the Cup Series race at Circuit of the Americas earlier this season.
“We are elated to be the primary sponsor for Austin Hill’s Cup Series debut, not only because of Austin’s competitive nature, but because we believe in the advancement of drivers in their careers, just like Richard Childress does,” said Lynette Mathis, Vice President of the Bennett Family of Companies. “At Bennett, truck drivers level-up their skills through increasingly challenging specialized freight opportunities throughout their careers. Our company revolves around family, and both Austin Hill and Richard Childress take that same approach to their race team. Their focus on innovation and their commitment to safety and service is second to none, and we can’t wait to cheer them along in the NASCAR Cup Series along with our 5,800+ owner/operators, agents, and employees.”
United Rentals, the world’s largest equipment rental provider, continues their support of Austin Hill as he makes his Cup Series debut in the No. 33 Chevrolet.
“United Rentals has been a proud supporter of Austin Hill since 2017, and we are excited to see him take this next step in his racing career,” said Craig Schmidt, Vice President, National Accounts at United Rentals. “We will be cheering him on every step of the way, while enjoying this unique opportunity to spend time with our customers.”
Global Industrial, a value-added industrial distributor with a roll-up-your-sleeves approach and a “We Can Supply That®” mentality, joins United Rentals, Alsco Uniforms and Realtree as enhanced partners on the No. 33 Chevrolet at Michigan.
“We’ve enjoyed the business and branding opportunities our partnership with Richard Childress Racing and Austin Hill have provided this season, both on and off the track,” said Klaus Werner, Sr. Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer of Global Industrial. “We look forward to supporting Austin in this exciting new step in his career. He has been a great ambassador for Global Industrial and we know that will extend to the Cup Series.”
The 2022 season marks the sixth season for Alsco as a partner with Richard Childress Racing. Alsco Uniforms is a fifth-generation family-owned-and-operated uniform company founded in 1889 and is the official uniform laundry supplier for the RCR pit crew and its many employees.
“We’ve enjoyed our partnership with Richard Childress Racing over the years and sharing key moments in their history while supplying each week, clean uniforms, first aid, floor mats and restroom supplies,” said Ben Fox, Director of Sales and Marketing at Alsco Uniforms. “We are thrilled to be a part of another exciting first for RCR as they welcome Austin Hill into the Cup Series.”
Realtree, the creator and marketer of the world’s most versatile camo patterns, joins a dynamic lineup of partners supporting Hill’s Cup Series debut at Michigan.
“Our roots with Richard Childress Racing run deep, and we appreciate Austin Hill’s passion for both racing and the outdoors,” said Tyler Jordan, Realtree strategic business coordinator. “We know that Hill will represent the Realtree brand well and congratulate him on the fantastic next step in his career that Richard Childress is providing.”
Catch Hill’s Cup Series debut in the FireKeepers Casino 400 at Michigan International Speedway on Sunday, August 7. The race airs live on USA at 3 p.m. ET.
RCR PR
