There is one domino left standing in the 2026 NASCAR silly season, with everyone waiting to see who will drive the No. 33 car next season for Richard Childress Racing. While an official announcement could come soon, it appears some inside the sport already have a feel for who the driver will be.
In the latest episode of Door, Bumper, Clear, they were discussing what options might be out there for Josh Berry in the Cup Series next season. Co-host Freddie Kraft said he believes that Austin Hill will be driving the No. 33 car in 2027.
“I think Austin Hill is getting into the 33. I think Riley is going to Legacy”
Freddie Kraft on who will be driving the No. 33 car for Richard Childress Racing next season
There have already been plenty of NASCAR rumors this season pointing to Riley Herbst joining the Legacy Motor Club next season. 23XI Racing already announced that his seat in the No. 35 car will be filled by Corey Heim, tentatively leaving Herbst without a gig. There still hasn’t been confirmation, but Herbst’s improvement this season paired with his family’s deep financial pockets and his strong relationship with sponsor Monster Energy makes him a natural fit to drive for LMC’s new third chartered car next year.
Kraft’s feeling that Hill will be a full-time driver for Richard Childress Racing isn’t the first sign of smoke regarding the open seat. Earlier this month, NASCAR Rumors & Nostalgia reported that “all signs currently point to” Hill remaining with RCR’s Cup team next season.
It’s possible an announcement is even made this week. On Sunday night’s episode of The Teardown, The Athletic‘s NASCAR insider Jordan Bianchi indicated that he is working on a big story that could be announced in a matter of days. Among the options are RCR announcing Hill as the driver of the No. 33 car next season or Legacy Motor Club making the same announcement for Herbst with its third charter.
Hill, 32, has excelled in the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series in his career with 16 lifetime wins, and he currently sits seventh in points (688) with a spot already locked up in The Chase. He hasn’t been nearly as strong in the Cup Series, recording just a single top-10 finish in his career, and he has the worst average finishing position (29.6) among drivers with 10-plus Cup races this season.
However, RCR didn’t have many other options. The team’s top prospect, Jesse Love, landed a full-time Cup Series ride next season with Wood Brothers Racing in the No. 21 car. Berry will be a free agent, having been replaced by Love, but Hill has a great relationship with Richard Childress, and his time with the No. 33 team likely carried added weight.
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