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Richard Childress Racing has just set the stage for an important announcement. The NASCAR Cup Series team has confirmed an upcoming driver reveal by tweeting out a silhouette with a date.
The image showed a driver standing with his arms crossed in front of a brick wall. The face and body were hidden, but the silhouette provided some clues. For example, the driver does not have long hair. RCR also included Cup Series logos and announced that the reveal would be on August 2, ahead of the trip to Michigan International Speedway.
RCR tried to keep the driver’s identity a secret, so several people replied with tweeted guesses. The overwhelming majority guessed Austin Hill was the person in the photo. Though a few guessed that the announcement involved Kyle Busch.
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RCR Needs to Reveal Some Important Details
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GettyTyler Reddick will leave RCR after the 2023 season.
The tease is only one part of the equation, and it actually creates more questions. Yes, the silhouette appears to point to Hill as the next Cup Series driver for the team, but what will this announcement include?
The biggest question left unanswered focuses on the type of Cup Series deal. Will this driver be a full-time replacement for Tyler Reddick after he heads to 23XI Racing in 2024, or will the team make an unexpected move earlier?
Another question focuses on the number. If the new driver is a replacement for Reddick, will he take over the No. 8? Will RCR change to a different number, such as 29 or 31? Multiple options that have previously visited Victory Lane — with Ryan Newman, Kevin Harvick and Jeff Burton — are available.
If Hill is the person behind the silhouette, he will know for a fact that the Cup Series is part of his future. Will he make any part-time starts in 2023 in an open entry to gain experience, or will he simply suit up for his first Cup Series season without prior experience?
Granted, the tease could have nothing to do with the future of the No. 8 car. RCR could simply be using the silhouette to announce that Hill will make a one-off start in the Cup Series during the 2022 season.
Hill Currently Competes in the Xfinity Series
GettyAustin Hill celebrates his first Xfinity Series win.
The Georgia native is only in his first full-time season in the Xfinity Series after spending four full-time seasons in the Camping World Truck Series. He is only 19 races deep in his rookie year, but he has two wins, 12 finishes in the top 10 and eight in the top five.
Hill has a lead in the Rookie of the Year battle over teammate Sheldon Creed and driver-owner Jesse Iwuji. He sits sixth in the standings with 600 points while Creed is 13th with 404 points. Iwuji rounds out the group with 58 points.
Hill is only in his first full-time Xfinity Series season, but he actually has 34 career starts. He previously made 15 starts for Hattori Racing Enterprises while driving for the team in the Truck Series. He is more of a rookie in name only.
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