Richard Childress Racing will not field a third NASCAR Cup Series car in the remaining two races of the 2025 season.

Xfinity Series driver Austin Hill got behind the wheel of RCR’s No. 33 at Talladega last weekend,  which was won by Chase Briscoe, but he managed just 22nd in his fifth Cup Series outing of the season. Hill, who won Saturday’s Xfinity Series race at Talladega but did not advance to the Championship 4 since he was eliminated in the previous round, could not beat his personal best in a Cup Series finish, which was ninth at the Chicago Street Race earlier this season. Neither Hill nor the No. 33 is on the entry list for this weekend’s race at Martinsville Speedway, and it is not expected to return for  the season finale at Phoenix Raceway next weekend.

RCR has won just one race in 2025, with Austin Dillon booking his playoff place with a win at Richmond. However, Dillon’s playoff bid ended in the first round. RCR’s Kyle Busch also missed the playoffs for a second consecutive season.

The two-time champion is without a win since Illinois in 2023. Still, Busch will regroup and go again with RCR in 2026 – with the help of a new crew chief.

The poor finish at Talladega for the No. 33 in the Cup followed Hill’s controversial middle finger gesture to fans after winning the Xfinity race. The incident has proved divisive on social media, with fans either loving or hating his attitude.

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However, as far as Dale Earnhardt Jr. — whose Xfinity Series team just announced a new signing with Connor Zilisch set to step up to Trackhouse Racing’s Cup roster — is concerned, when taking into account the context of the situation, he felt NASCAR needs “to embrace this to an extent.”

It was the latest controversy for Hill in Xfinity after he was given a one-race suspension by NASCAR for intentionally crashing Aric Almirola during the 2025 Xfinity race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The incident occurred on lap 91 when Hill contacted Almirola’s car, sending him into the Turn 4 wall and ending Almirola’s race. Hill was penalized five laps for rough driving during the race and ultimately finished 34th.

Hill was then granted a playoff waiver, keeping his place in the postseason. However, as per a rule change implemented before the 2025 season, Hill forfeited all 21 playoff points he earned during the regular season and was ineligible to earn additional points before the postseason began.

Despite missing out on an Xfinity Championship 4 spot, his win Saturday does guarantee his RCR team a car in the 2025 owner’s championship. “If you have any questions and it’s green-white-checkered, you probably just go to the bottom [of the track] because of how crazy the second and third lane was there at the end,” Hill said.

“Being able to race for Richard Childress is always special, and to be able to deliver wins like this,” Hill continued. “As the playoff started and us getting knocked out the way we did, it stung a lot, but once we knew we were still in it for the owner’s championship, I decided I’d do it just like I would going for a driver’s championship.

“To be able to lock ourselves in and go to Phoenix knowing we’re going for an owner’s championship and be able to try and deliver one to Richard Childress Racing means the world to me.”