NASCAR
Austin Hill Gives RCR Xfinity Win 100 in Carnage-Filled Martinsville Throwdown
RIDGEWAY, Va. – Just about the last man standing took the Xfinity Series checkered flag at Martinsville. Restarting seventh in overtime, enough madness ensued over the next two laps for Austin Hill to emerge out front off of turn four. After leading less than a quarter-lap all night long, Austin Hill gives RCR a milestone victory few others have equaled.
From the pole, rookie Connor Zilisch looked like a Martinsville master early on. The No. 88 Chevrolet swept both stages, but this run wasn’t without its issues. After a lapped car spun just ahead of Zilisch and Brandon Jones, the No. 88 had right front fender damage.
Opting to go off-strategy late in Stage 2 opened up a new opportunity for Justin Allgaier, Aric Almirola, and a few others. Taylor Gray was also among this group, eventually retaking the lead with 67 laps left.
A series of successive yellows kept the pack bunched together over the final 30 laps. Gray would be shoved out of the way on a restart with two laps left, but had the upper hand on Sammy Smith in overtime.
Despite the No. 54 passing the 8 clean on the last lap, Smith spun Gray in the final corner. This allowed the seas to part for Austin Hill, who was gifted the win after only leading the final few hundred yards to the checkers. Hill was the only one left smiling after this race. A pile of junked cars were littered everywhere when the dust settled.
This come-from-nowhere triumph also marked the 100th Xfinity Series victory for Richard Childress Racing.
“We restarted seventh there, I chose bottom just ‘cuz of how rough everyone was on restarts,” Hill said. “I had to do what I had to do there on the last lap.”
“Before I talk too much though, I got to say I’m extremely sorry to our teammate for getting in that wreck down in (turn) one. Started wheel-hopping a little bit, once I got under control I hit the 16 and it took out the 2. I feel really really bad for wrecking a teammate like that. I’m going to have to call him after the race.”
“Can’t thank everyone on this Bennett Chevrolet enough. We didn’t have the fastest car, it wasn’t as fast as Xfinity Mobile, but that restart just got wild. They’re leaning on each other, and I knew getting into (turn) three they would get beating and banging. I just drove in as deep as I could. They all got to hitting each other, I hit the 7 a little bit, shoved him up, and got on the apron, and came home with a win.”
“RCR’s 100th win in the Xfinity Series, that’s so awesome. I’m in disbelief that we’re in victory lane right now, it is unbelievable. I actually said during the race that I hated this place, because of all the beating and banging that was going on. To top it off we won the $100,000, I forgot about that. Man this is awesome, I got a perfect place for the Grandfather Clock.”
Amidst the mass of mangled racecars, very few drivers were left running when the checkered flag flew. Behind Hill was his former teammate Sheldon Creed, in second for a record-extending 14th time. Justin Allgaier, Brennan Poole, and Sam Mayer rounded out the top-five. The rest of the top-10 were: Dean Thompson, Daniel Dye, Ryan Sieg, Kris Wright, and Sammy Smith. Hear from a few of these drivers below.
Gray and Smith both had a near-fisticuffs at the care center post-race as well. Take a look below at what unfolded and each driver’s comments.
Xfinity cars will be back in action for Throwback Weekend at Darlington Raceway. The Sport Clips/VFW Help a Hero 200 goes green Saturday at 3:30 p.m. ET on The CW, MRN, and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio. Hill and Allgaier have separated themselves as ones to beat so far in 2025; will either of them triumph again at The Track Too Tough to Tame?
Written by Peter Stratta
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Photo Credits to Logan Riely/Getty Images
