Less than a decade ago, Austin Hill was a rising star in the Craftsman Truck Series, racing part-time for Young’s Motorsports with support from United Rentals (URI). In 2018, he had his first full-time opportunity with the team, earning six top-10 finishes, the most in their history. This success led to him taking over the No. 16 truck at Hattori Racing Enterprises in 2019, where he won his first race at Daytona International Speedway and proved himself as a series favorite with additional wins throughout the year.
While the following two seasons were not as successful for Hill, he still managed four more wins and a regular-season championship in 2020, showcasing his versatility and consistency on different track layouts. Hill’s performance in limited Xfinity Series races from 2019-2021, including a top-five finish at Kansas Speedway in 2020, made it clear that he was ready to make the move to the Xfinity Series full-time. In 2022, Richard Childress Racing signed Hill to drive the No. 21 Chevrolet, bringing success to a team that had struggled since Tyler Reddick’s 2019 championship win.
Hill continued his winning ways at RCR, starting the season with victories at Daytona and Atlanta, establishing himself as the most dominant restrictor plate driver in the Xfinity Series with six of his eight career wins coming in drafting-style races. Despite facing challenges in terms of raw speed compared to his competitors, Hill’s strategic racing style has consistently produced strong results, with his car finishing no worse than fourth in the first five races of the season. Hill’s impressive average finish of 2.4 has solidified his status as a top contender in the Xfinity Series.
While Hill fell short of competing for the championship in the previous season due to an incident with teammate Sheldon Creed at Martinsville, he is determined to make a strong title push this year. RCR has seen success early in the season, with both Hill and rookie teammate Jesse Love performing well. With Love currently fourth in the standings and showing promise, Hill is focused on accumulating bonus points through stage and race wins to secure a strong position in the playoffs. If RCR can continue to improve their overall speed and maintain their consistency, Hill could emerge as a serious championship contender in November at Phoenix.
As the season progresses, Austin Hill’s goal is to continue building on his early success by maximizing his points through stage wins and strong finishes. With a focus on consistency and performance, Hill aims to position himself as a top contender for the Xfinity Series championship at the end of the season. With the support of his team at RCR and his proven racing skills, Hill is poised to make a strong bid for the title and solidify his place as one of the top drivers in the series.