There are very few dominos left to fall in NASCAR silly season, with Richard Childress Racing still deciding who will get seats in the Cup Series and O’Reilly Auto Parts Series next season. While official calls haven’t been made, there are clearer signs regarding RCR’s plan.
Ahead of this weekend’s O’Reilly Auto Parts Series race at Iowa Speedway, it’s been announced that prospect Carson Brown will make his OARS debut in the No. 32 car for Jordan Anderson Racing. Importantly, per Bob Pockrass, Brown is the likely driver to drive full-time for RCR next season if Austin Hill moves up to the Cup Series.
Since the sudden passing of Kyle Busch, Hill has served as the replacement driver in the second chartered Cup Series car for Richard Childress Racing. The team still hasn’t announced who will drive the No. 33 car next season in Cup and its options are limited.
Jesse Love, once RCR’s top development driver, signed a deal with Wood Brothers Racing to replace Josh Berry in the No. 21 car for next season. Meanwhile, RFK Racing and Front Row Motorsports announced this past month that their Cup Series drivers will all be returning for the 2027 season.
That’s why reporting throughout the summer has pointed to Hill racing full-time in the Cup Series next year. While he hasn’t necessarily performed well in the No. 33 car this year, his strong ties to RCR and his connection with the team make the decision all but a guarantee.
So, once the announcement is inevitably made, a seat in the O’Reilly Series with RCR opens up next season for Brown. Saturday night’s race will be the 18-year-old’s first taste of racing at the second-highest level in NASCAR. Given his talent and RCR’s track record in the series, it should only be a few short years before Brown is a multi-time race winner in the O’Reilly Series for RCR.
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