Why Richard Childress Racing is making a mistake by promoting Austin Hill

Why Austin Hill wasn't best choice for No. 33

Hill is, of course, a talented race car driver and has been loyal to Richard Childress, Chevrolet and all of the organization's partners. But he's not the best driver RCR could've put in its second car. 

Josh Berry, a journeyman who currently drives for the Wood Brothers, notched his fourth straight top-10 finish on Sunday. Berry struggled enough early in the season to lose his ride with the Wood Brothers at the end of the season, and he's looking for a job. 

Berry did struggle mightily at the start of the season, but he's a Cup winner and exactly the type of blue-collar driver that would fit the culture at RCR. His recent hot streak proves that he's good enough to race at the Cup level. 

Hill is, to his credit, a 16-time winner in the NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts Series. But at 32, it's hard to say his ceiling is higher than that of Berry, 35. 

There's also something to be said for RCR's O'Reilly Series program, which will now lose both of its current drivers at the end of the season, with Jesse Love going to the Wood Brothers next season. Rather than chasing a championship in the O'Reilly Series and winning races, Hill will likely struggle to be competitive in the Cup Series next season. 

Given that Austin Dillon is currently 25th in the Cup Series standings, RCR's outlook for its 2027 Cup program is relatively bleak. It's unknown who the team will tap to drive either of its two NOAPS entries, which have at least won plenty of races in recent years. RCR even won the 2025 O'Reilly Championship with Love. 

Hill still has 11 Cup races left this season to build momentum towards next year, but with Berry on the free agent market and far and away outrunning Hill at the moment, RCR appears to have pulled the trigger on Hill too soon.