Getty Austin Hill waves to fans at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
Austin Hill is back at Richard Childress Racing for a second NASCAR Xfinity Series season. A new partner will join him as he pursues more wins and a return to the playoffs.
Hill’s return to RCR was public knowledge at the end of the 2022 Xfinity Series season, but the team confirmed it with a press release on January 11. As part of his return, Realtree will join the No. 21 team’s list of partners while continuing a longstanding relationship with RCR.
Realtree has supported multiple drivers at Richard Childress Racing over the years. For example, Tyler Reddick had a Realtree scheme during multiple races at Talladega Superspeedway between 2020 and 2022. The company also joined him as an associate partner for multiple other races.
The relationship between RCR and Realtree began in the mid-1990s, and it included associate sponsorships on the No. 3 and No. 29 Cup Series cars. The company went on to support both Kevin Harvick and Austin Dillon for several seasons. Now it will support Hill as he pursues more Xfinity Series wins.
“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!”
Other Key Partners Returned to the No. 21 Team
GettyAustin Hill celebrates his first Xfinity Series win.
Realtree will join the lineup of partners for 2023 while multiple others will return to support Hill. The list includes Bennett Family of Companies, Global Industrial, United Rentals, and Alsco Uniforms.
These companies all joined Hill for his Rookie of the Year-winning campaign, and they will continue to support him. According to the press release, all of these companies will also further increase their partnership in “dynamic and innovative ways.”
The Georgia native kicked off his rookie season in a strong fashion. He won the opening race at Daytona International Speedway while showcasing United Rentals and Bennett Transportation. He then went on to capture a race at Atlanta Motor Speedway with Bennett Transportation and Logistics as his primary partner.
Hill only won two races as a rookie, but he scored more points than teammate Sheldon Creed and part-time driver Jesse Iwuji. He also finished sixth in the championship standings after narrowly missing the championship four.
RCR Confirmed a Key Crew Chief’s Return
There were many important details provided in the press release from RCR. The team confirmed Hill’s return, as well as his primary partners for the 2023 Xfinity Series season.
Another detail provided is that Andy Street will be the crew chief for the No. 21 team. Street will enter his fourth full season as a NASCAR Xfinity Series crew chief after hitting 100 starts during championship weekend at Phoenix Raceway.
Street has worked with multiple drivers during his time at RCR. He guided Anthony Alfredo, Kaz Grala, Earl Bamber, and Myatt Snider in 2020 as the drivers shared the No. 21. He then guided Snider for the full 2021 season, which featured a win at Homestead-Miami Speedway and a trip to the playoffs.
When RCR went back to a two-car operation in 2022, Street moved over to Hill’s team. He helped the rookie capture two wins and a trip to the playoffs while Jeff Stankiewicz worked with fellow rookie Sheldon Creed.
“I’m excited to return to RCR this season to compete for a Xfinity Series championship once again,” Hill said in a press release. “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.”