NASCAR Next driver Austin Hill is set for a part-time schedule this season in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series.
The 21-year-old Georgia native will compete in the season-opening NextEra Energy Resources 250 (Feb. 19, 7:30 p.m. ET, FOX Sports 1, MRN/SiriusXM) at Daytona International Speedway, driving a Ford for Empire Racing Group. Hill will then shift to his family team of Austin Hill Racing for the rest of the season, according to a release provided Monday by his representatives.
Hill competed in six Camping World Truck Series events the last two seasons. He also has five victories in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East, where he finished third in the driver standings last year.
“We’re just trying to step up the ranks,” Hill said. “I feel like this move will be a good stepping stone for us as a team, and I want to go out there and prove that we belong in this series.”
The release indicated that Atlanta, Dover, Kentucky, Bristol, Texas were among the tracks on Hill’s partial slate, which is scheduled to span more than half of the season’s 23 races. Doug Chouinard, who has worked with Hill in the K&N ranks, will serve as the team’s crew chief.