via @RCRracing on X
Richard Childress Racing has revealed the 2026 paint schemes for the #33 Chevrolet driven by Austin Hill and the #3 Chevrolet driven by Austin Dillon, and the #33 is a full-on Kyle Busch tribute. The matte black Rebel Bourbon livery carries "HONORING OUR ORIGINAL REBEL" across the quarter panel in white block letters, the kind of tribute paint scheme that turns every camera cut into a moment for the late two-time NASCAR Cup Series champion who passed away on May 21, 2026 at the age of 41.
This is the first full look at where RCR has landed after Kyle's passing, and the #33 carrying the Rebel Bourbon tribute is the answer to the question every NASCAR fan has been asking for two weeks: how is the team going to honor the original face of their Rebel Bourbon partnership.
Austin Hill's #33: "Honoring Our Original Rebel"
via @RCRracing on X
The #33 is the new car that effectively replaces Kyle Busch's retired #8 in the RCR Cup Series lineup. Austin Hill, who has spent the last several seasons running for RCR in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, is the driver behind the wheel. His name reads "HILL" across the top of the windshield banner.
The paint scheme is matte black with red REBEL BOURBON wordmark across the hood and the upper quarter panels, the Rebel Bourbon lightning bolt logo on the front fender, and the "HONORING OUR ORIGINAL REBEL" tribute lettering on the lower quarter panel facing the cameras every time the car runs by the broadcast position. Sponsors visible on the scheme include Goodyear, Cheddars, NCAA, 1-800-PACK-RAT, and Sunseeker, but the entire color story is built around the Rebel Bourbon partnership and the Kyle Busch tribute.
Kyle Busch was the original face of the RCR Rebel Bourbon partnership. He drove the #8 Rebel Root Beer Whiskey Chevrolet at the Circuit of The Americas in February 2026 and was the first driver to put a Rebel-branded car on a Cup Series grid. Rebel Bourbon itself called him "the original Rebel" in its tribute statement after his passing, and the lettering on Austin Hill's #33 quarter panel makes the connection literal.
Hill stepping into the seat with this paint scheme as his Cup Series introduction is the kind of debut moment that turns a young driver into part of a bigger story before he ever drops the green flag.
Austin Dillon's #3 Dow Paint Scheme
via @RCRracing on X
Austin Dillon's #3 carries the Dow primary sponsor wordmark for 2026 on a black and red panel scheme that ties the two RCR cars together visually. The black-and-red palette gives the entire RCR Cup lineup a unified look at the front of the grid even when the cars are running different primary sponsors, and the matching color story across the #3 and the #33 reads as a deliberate stable-mate identity choice.
via @RCRracing on X
The Dow wordmark anchors the side panel in big white block letters on the red field, with the #3 in white outlined on the door. Sponsors visible on the scheme include BetMGM, Huk Fishing, Mobility Science, Get Bioethanol, TITAN, Bass Pro Shops, Winchester, Breztri, Goodyear, and Cheddars. The #3 is the most iconic car number in NASCAR history thanks to Dale Earnhardt Sr.'s decades of championships in the same RCR seat, and Austin Dillon has been driving the car since 2014.
The Full Reveal
Richard Childress Racing posted the full reveal of both 2026 paint schemes on X, with detailed photos of the #33 and the #3 from the RCR shop floor.
The black-and-red color story across both cars and the Kyle Busch tribute lettering on Hill's #33 set the visual tone for the rest of the RCR Cup Series season. We will be watching every race week to track how the team folds the tribute into broadcast moments, pit-box graphics, and additional paint scheme tweaks across the back half of 2026.
What This Means for the Rest of the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series Season
Austin Hill stepping into the #33 with a tribute paint scheme is a clean handoff from the Kyle Busch era at RCR to whatever comes next. The tribute lettering is permanent on this base livery, not a one-race special, which means the "HONORING OUR ORIGINAL REBEL" callout will be visible every time the #33 rolls through a broadcast frame for the rest of 2026.
Austin Dillon's #3 Dow scheme keeps the most famous number in NASCAR running its 12th season under Dillon, with the unified RCR black-and-red identity now tying both cars together across the grid. Expect special one-off paint schemes throughout the season tied to Rebel Bourbon's "real rebels" campaign and to Dow's anniversary moments, but the base look is what fans are going to see most weeks.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Austin Hill driving for in 2026?
Austin Hill is driving the #33 Chevrolet for Richard Childress Racing in the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series. He has spent the last several seasons running for RCR in the NASCAR Xfinity Series and is stepping up to the full-time Cup Series with the new #33 ride after Kyle Busch's #8 was retired following Busch's passing on May 21, 2026.
What does "Honoring Our Original Rebel" mean on Austin Hill's #33?
The "HONORING OUR ORIGINAL REBEL" lettering on the quarter panel of Austin Hill's #33 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet is a tribute to Kyle Busch, who was the original face of the RCR Rebel Bourbon partnership before his passing on May 21, 2026. Kyle drove the #8 Rebel Root Beer Whiskey Chevrolet at the Circuit of The Americas in February 2026 and was the first driver to put a Rebel-branded car on a NASCAR Cup Series grid. Rebel Bourbon itself called him "the original Rebel" in their tribute statement.
What happened to Kyle Busch's #8?
Richard Childress Racing retired Kyle Busch's #8 Chevrolet after his passing on May 21, 2026. The seat in the RCR Cup Series lineup has been effectively replaced by the new #33 driven by Austin Hill, which carries the Rebel Bourbon tribute paint scheme honoring Kyle Busch.
Who is the original Rebel?
The "original Rebel" referenced on Austin Hill's #33 paint scheme is Kyle Busch, the two-time NASCAR Cup Series champion who passed away on May 21, 2026 at the age of 41. Kyle was the original face of the RCR Rebel Bourbon partnership and the first driver to put a Rebel Bourbon paint scheme on a Cup Series grid at the Circuit of The Americas in February 2026.
What sponsors are on Austin Hill's #33 Chevrolet?
Austin Hill's #33 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet for the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series carries Rebel Bourbon as the primary sponsor on the hood and upper quarter panels, with Goodyear, Cheddars, NCAA, 1-800-PACK-RAT, Sunseeker, and Lucas Oil among the secondary sponsors visible on the scheme.
What is Austin Dillon's #3 paint scheme for 2026?
Austin Dillon's #3 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet for the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series carries Dow as the primary sponsor on a black and red panel paint scheme. The Dow wordmark sits in big white block letters on the red field of the quarter panel with the #3 in white outlined on the door. Secondary sponsors include BetMGM, Huk Fishing, Mobility Science, Get Bioethanol, TITAN, Bass Pro Shops, Winchester, Breztri, Goodyear, and Cheddars.
How long has Austin Dillon driven the #3 for Richard Childress Racing?
Austin Dillon has driven the #3 Chevrolet for Richard Childress Racing in the NASCAR Cup Series since 2014. The 2026 season is his 12th year in the seat. The #3 is the most iconic car number in NASCAR history thanks to Dale Earnhardt Sr.'s decades of championships in the same RCR seat from 1981 through 2000.
Where can I read more about Kyle Busch's passing and the NASCAR tributes?
Our full coverage includes Remembering Kyle Busch and NASCAR Tracks Pay Tribute to Kyle Busch: RCR No. 8 Painted on Charlotte's Infield Grass for the Coca-Cola 600 weekend tribute roundup.
When is the next NASCAR Cup Series race?
Check the official NASCAR Cup Series schedule for the next race date and time. Austin Hill's #33 and Austin Dillon's #3 will both be on the grid every week for the rest of the 2026 season.
Honoring the original Rebel. Rest easy, Rowdy.
