As preparations for the 2026 Daytona 500 progress, Richard Childress Racing (RCR) has decided not to enter Austin Hill’s car in the event, ending hopes for his debut in NASCAR’s premier race. Insider reports from Bob Pockrass indicate that RCR will not run a fourth car at the Daytona season opener, closing the door on Hill’s anticipated participation in the Great American Race.
The upcoming Daytona 500 will feature a 41-car lineup, consisting of 36 guaranteed chartered cars alongside one Open Exemption Provisional slot, which is already assigned to Jimmie Johnson’s No. 84 Legacy Motor Club Toyota. This leaves only four openings for non-chartered teams to fill, sparking intense competition among at least seven confirmed or potential open entries vying for these limited spots.
Bob Pockrass wrote on social media,
“RWR spokesman told me they won’t field a second car and RCR has indicated unlikely a fourth car for Daytona.”
This statement dampens speculation about a possible No. 33 Chevrolet entry by Richard Childress Racing for Austin Hill. The O’Reilly Auto Parts Series contender has been linked to a Daytona 500 attempt following select Cup Series starts in the previous season. Nevertheless, RCR remains concentrated on its two chartered cars—Kyle Busch’s No. 8 and Austin Dillon’s No. 3—with no current plans or resources allocated to an extra superspeedway effort.
RCR’s last additional car entry at Daytona was in 2019, when Tyler Reddick piloted the No. 31 Chevrolet. Since then, due to increasingly difficult qualifying for non-chartered teams, RCR has refrained from open entries. Austin Hill has firsthand experience with this challenge, having failed to make the starting grid in 2023 while driving for Beard Motorsports.
Adding to these factors, RCR’s technical partnership with Rick Ware Racing (RWR) reinforces the limited opportunities, as RWR has also ruled out running a second car in the Daytona 500 this year. Meanwhile, other teams like RFK Racing and Front Row Motorsports are surprising fans by adding fourth cars, which makes for a more crowded and competitive battle for open spots.
Progress of Austin Hill’s 2026 NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series Campaign
Although a Daytona 500 start is off the table for Austin Hill, his 2026 campaign in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series is advancing with strong sponsor backing. Richard Childress Racing confirmed that the Bennett Family of Companies will continue as the primary sponsor for Hill’s No. 21 Chevrolet, maintaining a multi-year partnership that has contributed to Hill’s success in the series.
Distributor Wire & Cable will also join the RCR O’Reilly program as part of a multi-car sponsorship agreement, enhancing the team’s commercial support as the new season approaches.
NASCAR will bring back The Chase playoff format in 2026 across all three national series, including the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series. Twelve drivers will move on to the postseason under a reseeded points system designed to reward consistent performance throughout the regular season before resetting at 2,020 points. This system emphasizes the importance of stage points, race wins, and overall depth.
The NOAPS season will begin with the United Rentals 300 at Daytona International Speedway on February 14, airing on the CW Network at 5 p.m. ET, marking Hill’s first competitive appearance under the updated championship structure.
Implications of the Daytona 500 Decision on Hill and RCR
Richard Childress Racing’s decision not to field an additional car at the Daytona 500 highlights the growing difficulty non-chartered teams face when attempting to qualify for the sport’s marquee event. For Austin Hill, this outcome postpones his chance to make a high-profile debut in the Cup Series season opener despite gaining valuable experience last year.
From the team perspective, RCR’s focus on its chartered drivers Kyle Busch and Austin Dillon reflects a strategic concentration of resources amid an increasingly competitive and saturated field, particularly with other teams adding extra cars. Meanwhile, Hill’s NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series campaign remains promising with stable sponsorship and a renewed playoff format offering new opportunities for success.
As the 2026 season unfolds, Hill will have the chance to build momentum in the O’Reilly Series while keeping an eye on future opportunities to break into the Cup Series, potentially in races beyond Daytona.
RWR spokesman told me they won't field a second car and RCR has indicated unlikely a fourth car for Daytona. https://t.co/n96UFaI7dQ
— Bob Pockrass (@bobpockrass) January 20, 2026
