Austin Hill Smashes Superspeedway Record After Surviving Talladega Chaos

Newsweek

27-04-2025

Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources.
Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content.
Richard Childress Racing's Austin Hill took the win at Talladega Superspeedway today after a close finish. NASCAR officials reviewed race footage to determine the Georgia native did indeed win as the caution flag was waved as the final lap ticked over.
This is his first victory at Talladega and his third this 2025 Xfinity Series season.
The last lap was complete chaos as then-race leader Connor Zilisch lost control after he clashed with Jesse Love in a duel for the front of the pack. The former's No. 88 JR Motorsports Chevrolet hit the backstretch wall hard, prompting the caution flags. At this point in time, Hill, Jeb Burton, and Love were lined up for a photo finish, separated by mere inches. Burton finished second, and Love third.
"I knew that it was just between [Jeb Burton] and I, because I saw when the yellow light flashed getting into Turn 3. I saw that flash, and right when it flashed, I looked left and me and the No. 27 were side-by-side and we were like a half-car length ahead of [Jesse Love]," Hill said about the finish.
Austin Hill, driver of the #21 Bennett Transportation Chevrolet, celebrates in victory lane after winning the NASCAR Xfinity Series Ag-Pro 300 at Talladega Superspeedway on April 26, 2025 in Talladega, Alabama.
Austin Hill, driver of the #21 Bennett Transportation Chevrolet, celebrates in victory lane after winning the NASCAR Xfinity Series Ag-Pro 300 at Talladega Superspeedway on April 26, 2025 in Talladega, Alabama.According to procedure, the field is frozen as soon as the caution lights are illuminated.
Burton believed he was ahead, with him clearly emotional after the race.
"Every angle I keep seeing, we win the race. Just frustrated with that, maybe they can give us a different angle here. I don't know what's so complicated, we're gonna protest, do whatever the hell we can do because I think we won this race.
"We don't have a lot of chances to win, you know? That's what's frustrating."
From reports from the track, the Jordan Anderson Racing Chevrolet team may seek further clarification on how the race ended.
Hill, now holding the Xfinity Series superspeedway wins record after today's success, is over the moon after his Talladega win.
"It just seemed like our car was really good. Everyone at RCR and RCR engines are bad to the bone, like always. We had to work. I thought the 2 (Love) was really good and when we got the push from the 2 going into [turn] one, he got inside of me and I thought that was a bad mistake and I should have covered it. So I thought we were done. But I just locked in and kept pushing the heck out of the 2-car.
"I knew it was either me or the 27 [Burton].
"Man, to win them – any way you win them is always great – and finally to conquer Talladega, that's something I've really wanted to do for a long time," Hill said.
"We've won at all these other superspeedways and to finally get it done at all the different superspeedways we go to, it just shows the 21 team can win at any of them and we're really good at this style of racing."