NASCAR: Austin Hill returns to Richard Childress Racing for 2023
Richard Childress Racing announced Austin Hill will return as driver of the No. 21 Chevrolet Camaro SS to chase a championship in the 2023 NASCAR Xfinity Series season.
Bennett Family of Companies, Global Industrial, United Rentals, and Alsco Uniforms will continue as partners for Hill’s sophomore campaign, while long-standing RCR partner, Realtree, joins the fold. Hill, who earned Rookie of the Year honors, two victories, and a sixth-place finish in the driver point standings during his rookie year, remains focused to improve those results this season.
Leading the charge for Hill and the No. 21 team will once again be crew chief Andy Street. Street enters his fourth year as crew chief in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, posting three wins (Myatt Snider in 2021 and Hill in 2022) and two playoff berths in the past two seasons.
“I’m excited to return to RCR this season to compete for a Xfinity Series championship once again,” said Hill. “My rookie season was a success, but I know that our No. 21 team can improve even more with our first year together under our belt. I’m very appreciative of the opportunity that Richard and everyone at RCR continues to give me. To not only be back with Andy and my crew guys, but to have our loyal partners return is a huge asset to our program. I can’t wait to get to Daytona and kick off the 2023 season the same way we started last season.”
After successful campaigns and results last year, each of the partners on the No. 21 team will further increase their team partnership in dynamic and innovative ways.
Headquartered in McDonough, Georgia, Bennett Family of Companies provides innovative logistics and transportation services for companies across America. Bennett offers a suite of trucking and specialized logistic services, from flatbed and step deck trucking and manufactured housing transport to RV delivery, customs brokerage, and warehousing. With over 46 years of experience in the industry, Bennett’s network provides the safest and best possible service to all their business partners. Featuring the No. 21 Bennett Transportation and Logistics Chevrolet, Bennett will continue to host customers trackside to provide unique behind-the-scenes access on race weekends.
“It has been a wonderful experience working with the team at Richard Childress Racing. Our owners are very excited to continue our partnership with RCR and Austin Hill in the NASCAR Xfinity Series this season,” said Lynette Mathis, Vice President of the Bennett Family of Companies. “With this partnership, it has given us a platform to not only build brand awareness but be able to recruit and retain hundreds of truck drivers. We look forward to giving our customers, drivers, and agents the full experience on race weekends. As Austin Hill won Sunoco Rookie of the Year in his first full-time season in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, we know he will do big things in 2023.”
Headquartered in Port Washington, New York, Global Industrial Company is a value-added distributor of a wide range of industrial and maintenance, repair, and operations (MRO) products to customers in the United States and Canada. Established in 1949 by Michael and Paul Leeds as a material handling company, Global Industrial is now an industry leader with more than 1.7 million products in 21 industrial and commercial categories. For more than 70 years, Global Industrial has been leading the charge, helping customers solve problems and provide the products needed to run their businesses and facilities, including the tools that help power the No. 21 team to success.
“We are excited to extend our relationship with Richard Childress Racing and Austin Hill for the 2023 season,” said Klaus Werner, Sr. Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer of Global Industrial. “Austin has been a strong ambassador to our customers and employees, and we look forward to driving further awareness and engagement of the Global Industrial brand with NASCAR’s dedicated fanbase. Our extensive product offerings, solutions-based approach, and line of ‘made to exceed’ Global Industrial Exclusive Brands™, are a perfect fit to help power our collective success both on and off the track.”
United Rentals, the world’s largest equipment rental company, has an integrated network of over 1,300 rental locations in North America, Europe, Australia, and New Zealand. Headquartered in Stamford, Connecticut, United Rentals offers general, aerial, and specialty rentals to a customer base that includes construction and industrial companies, utilities, municipalities, and homeowners. The company will leverage the second year of their RCR partnership to strengthen the connection with its customers through brand and hospitality activities and promote their Work United initiative.
“We are proud to partner with the Richard Childress Racing team and Austin Hill for another exciting NASCAR Xfinity Series season,” said Craig Schmidt, Vice President, National Accounts at United Rentals. “Our teams share the same commitment to service and safety, so we’re excited about the opportunity to Work United™ and deliver an unforgettable experience for our customers and fans in 2023.”
Marking the seventh season of partnership with Richard Childress Racing, Alsco is a fifth-generation, family-owned-and-operated uniform company founded in 1889. Alsco is recognized by the prestigious Hohenstein Institute for having invented the uniform rental industry. Celebrating over 130 years of business, Alsco provides uniform laundry services and other products that keep businesses clean and safe to customers in healthcare, automotive, industrial and hospitality industries.
“It was a no brainer for us to partner again with Austin Hill after his Rookie of the Year performance on the track last year,” said Ben Fox, Director of Sales & Marketing at Alsco Uniforms. “We’re here to help him keep his crew outfitted in clean, high performance MIMIX uniforms, so he can perform on the track again in 2023.”
Realtree, a long-standing partner of RCR, is the world’s leading camouflage designer, marketer, and licensor with over 2,000 licensees utilizing the Realtree patterns and brands. The Columbus, Georgia-based company is committed to supporting individuals and groups that work to ensure our outdoor heritage, veterans and military affairs, the conservation of natural places, and the wildlife that resides there. Realtree will be featured on Hill’s No. 21 Chevrolet throughout the 2023 season, after a successful pairing during the Georgia driver’s Cup Series debut last season.
“We are excited about the opportunity to join Austin on the No. 21 car,” said Tyler Jordan, Strategic Business Coordinator at Realtree. “Austin is a Georgia native and doesn’t live too far from where our company is based out of. Plus, he’s a huge outdoorsman and proudly represents what our brand is all about. The partnership makes too much sense, and we can’t wait for the 2023 season!”
Hill looks to defend his season-opening victory as the NASCAR Xfinity Series season kicks off at Daytona International Speedway on Saturday, February 18. The green flag will wave at 5 p.m. ET with live television coverage on FS1. Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90 will carry the live radio broadcast.