Since the tragic passing of Kyle Busch last month, NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts Series regular Austin Hill was put behind the wheel of Busch's Cup car. It was renumbered, with the No. 33 replacing the No. 8 on the door, and Hill is expected to drive the car for the remainder of the 2026 season while also competing for the NASCAR O'Reilly title.
The 32-year-old has a best finish of 18th since taking over the car, but he also crashed while battling for the lead on a mid-race restart at the San Diego Street Course.
His teammate is Austin Dillon, grandson of RCR founder Richard Childress. On Saturday, the driver of the No. 3 Chevrolet commented on Hill's ability, and was asked directly about his future.
"I think he has won at every level when it comes to the Truck and O’Reilly series," said Dillon. "He's been able to take bad days and turn them into good days. I’ve liked watching him in the O’Reilly Series over the last couple of years of where he consistently just puts himself in position to have a shot. He's consistent. I think that ability to take one step at a time makes him a consistent factor.
"While we were first meeting about Austin, it was like, you know, you're always going to have a shot at road courses and speedways with him in the car. That's a big percentage of our races. I feel like he's a high-percentage road racer and speedway racer. And then, there are certain mile-and-a-halves and short tracks that he's just going to get better. That's going to take the time from the Next Gen side, just understanding the differences between an O'Reilly's car and a Cup car when you get to these ovals. That learning curve takes a minute. But I think on speedways and road racing, he's going to be competitive each and every time.”
Hill currently sits fifth in the NASCAR O'Reilly Series championship, a division where he has 16 wins -- all with RCR. He also has eight wins in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. He seems like the clear favorite to become the official full-time driver of the No. 33 in 2027.
However, Dillon wouldn't say much to that point, only adding: “I think he's doing a great job. You know, I'm not going to ‘Christopher Bell’ what the future is of that (meaning spoil any plans for the team). I'll wait and let RCR make that call.”
Regardless, Hill appears to be the clear favorite for the seat, especially with his NASCAR O'Reilly teammate and reigning series champion Jesse Love heading for the Wood Brothers Cup team in 2027.
