Austin Hill shed light on his personal interaction with Kevin Harvick after Kyle Busch’s tragic loss. The Richard Childress Racing driver shared that Harvick wanted him to remain stoic in front of his team.
Hill was called up to fill in for Busch after the latter’s untimely death on May 21. The 32-year-old has been driving the No. 33 car in Busch’s stead ever since.
In a recent media interview with NASCAR reporter Steven Taranto, Hill outlined Harvick’s words of wisdom.
“The biggest takeaway that I got from Kevin was just to be mentally tough and not to show your emotion in front of everyone. If you’re gonna have a breakdown moment or anything like that happen, do that behind closed doors,” he said.
“You need to be the tough guy when it comes to driving the race car and being in the shop and being prepared,” Hill added, “and showing those guys that you mean business and that you’re here for them and you’re here to be that shoulder to lean on.”
“The biggest takeaway that I got from Kevin was just to be mentally tough and not to show your emotion in front of everyone. If you’re gonna have a breakdown moment or anything like that happen, do that behind closed doors,” he said.
“You need to be the tough guy when it comes to driving the race car and being in the shop and being prepared,” Hill added, “and showing those guys that you mean business and that you’re here for them and you’re here to be that shoulder to lean on.”
Kyle Busch passed away from severe bacterial pneumonia, two days before the Coke 600. The crown jewel event was Austin Hill’s first race in place of Busch.
Hill was recently announced for a full-time drive with RCR through 2027. The driver has been a fixture of the O’Reilly Series, making the playoffs in five years of competition.
He currently stands fifth with two wins to his name, one at Daytona and the other at San Diego. Driving the No. 21 Chevy, Hill returned to the podium on Friday’s Daytona race, while Ryan Sieg earned his first career NASCAR win with just a two-lap lead.
Notably, it was Sieg’s 424th NASCAR start.
NASCAR Cup Series driver Austin Hill (33) sits in his garage Friday, July 24, 2026, during practice for the Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
Austin Hill spoke with Racer’s Kelly Crandall and opened up about his recent Cup Series stint. Hill revealed that Kyle Busch’s death had him debating if he was really ready to step up, and if he was mentally strong for the challenge.
The Winston, Georgia native figured he was as good as anyone to replace Busch. However, he made it clear that there was no comparison to be made.
“I don’t think anyone could ever fill Kyle Busch’s shoes. I’ve heard that a lot, that I have big shoes to fill, and I always tell everyone, ‘You can’t fit into his shoes.’ All the accolades and what he did as a driver, the person he was, all he did for the sport. You’ll never get to that level,” Hill said via Racer.
“I don’t think anyone could ever fill Kyle Busch’s shoes. I’ve heard that a lot, that I have big shoes to fill, and I always tell everyone, ‘You can’t fit into his shoes.’ All the accolades and what he did as a driver, the person he was, all he did for the sport. You’ll never get to that level,” Hill said via Racer.
Austin Hill heads into the 12-driver Chase with the opening round at Darlington Raceway. His teammate Jesse Love enters the title fight as the fourth seed, despite a lack of wins this season.
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