For Austin Hill, racing in the NASCAR Cup Series was the ultimate dream.
Lining up on the grid at the Daytona 500 — the proclaimed “Super Bowl” of motorsports — was going to be the cherry on top, should he ever reach the Cup Series level.
As the 65th running of The Great American Race rolls around this weekend at Daytona Int’l Speedway, the 28-year-old can rest, knowing he has an opportunity to qualify for stock car racing’s biggest event. Under the Beard Motorsports banner, Hill will attempt to qualify in the No. 62 Chevrolet Camaro.
“It’s something that, as a little kid, you always dream of,” Hill said. “But first and foremost, we have to make it in.”
Hill’s door to the racing in the Daytona opened when Noah Gragson, who drove the part-time Beard entry last season, graduated to the Cup Series on a full-time basis with Legacy Motor Club. Hill immediately threw his name in the hat when he heard the team was searching for a driver to fill Gragson’s seat.
Hill signed on to drive six Cup Series races for the team, beginning with an attempt to qualify for the Daytona 500.
Since the team does not have a charter, Hill will be one of six non-charter entries fighting for four available positions. Other independent drivers include Jimmie Johnson, Travis Pastrana, Conor Daly, Chandler Smith and Zane Smith.
Hill plans to attack qualifying at Daytona Int’l Speedway with the same approach he lives by as a full-time Xfinity Series driver for Richard Childress Racing.
“Stay aggressive all race long and see where we end up,” Hill said. “As long as I don’t destroy a car and only mess up a fender or something that can be easily fixed, I’m going to do whatever it takes to make the Daytona 500.”
The 28-year-old made it clear that, if it comes down to the last lap during his Daytona Duel qualifying race on Thursday night, he’s not afraid to be aggressive in order to lock the No. 62 entry into Sunday’s prestigious race. But despite the proclamations, his strategy is not all about the attack.
Hill feels he brings a good understanding of superspeedway racing that will aid his cause during Speedweek in Daytona.
“Anytime we go to a superspeedway, we just have that raw speed and we’re up front,” Hill said, referring to his Xfinity Series experience. “I’ve never driven a Cup car on a superspeedway, so that is going to be a challenge — a good challenge — and one that I look forward to.”
The way he looks at it, a successful run on a superspeedway requires substantial trust between the driver and his spotter — Chris Osborne will fulfill that role this week. Beyond that, it’s about quick reactions and making moves when the opportunity presents itself.
This week will mark Hill’s second excursion behind the wheel of the Next Gen car.
As part of his steady climb up the NASCAR ladder, Hill made his Cup Series debut last August at Michigan Int’l Speedway, driving the No. 33 Chevrolet for RCR. He finished 18th.
His full-time job continues to be in the Xfinity Series with RCR, where he drives the No. 21 entry, although he’ll make several starts in the Cup Series with Beard Motorsports this year.
Races will include NASCAR’s second visit to Daytona, both races at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway and the October ROVAL event at Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway.
While Hill remains excited for the opportunities ahead, Daytona is the only race on his mind.
“The first step is to see how qualifying goes on Wednesday night, and then if we have to go into the Duel not being locked in, we will see how that unfolds,” Hill said. “We want to make it into the 500, and from there, it’s going to be a really fun Sunday.”