Written by Bailey Defoor
Credit: Logan Riely / Getty Images
Austin Hill takes the win in Martinsville and secures $100,000 in the Dash 4 Cash race in overtime.
As it unfolded
This week’s Dash 4 Cash drivers included A. Hill, starting third, Justin Allgaier, starting sixth, Sam Mayer, starting 16th, and Sheldon Creed, starting 18th.
Connor Zilisch started on pole alongside teammate and fellow rookie Carson Kvapil. Zilisch gets a strong start and puts some distance between himself and the rest of the field.
William Sawalich, who started down in 14th, was climbing through the field in the opening stages of the race.
On lap 20, Aric Almirola broke into the top 10 after starting on Row 8. He was flying past drivers left and right.
Zilisch caught up to the back of the field and began working through the pack on lap 25.
On lap 34, Brandon Jones came up on Kvapil after qualifying outside the top 5 and fought to take second place.
In the closing laps of stage 1, there was a dogfight for stage points between five drivers. Sawalich, Christian Eckes, Sammy Smith, Harison Burton, and Corey Day were the drivers in this fight. In the battle, Eckes sent Sawalich a little wide and bright Dean Thompson and Ryan Sieg into the mix.
Caution on lap 54 as Day and Burton collided and sent each other into the wall.
Stage 1 Results:
No. 88 - Connor Zilisch (JR Motorsports)
No. 1 - Carson Kvapil (JR Motorsports)
No. 20 - Brandon Jones (Joe Gibbs Racing)
No. 7 - Justin Allgaier (JR Motorsports)
No. 19 - Aric Almirola (Joe Gibbs Racing)
No. 54 - Taylor Gray (Joe Gibbs Racing)
No. 21 - Austin Hill (Richard Childress Racing)
No. 8 - Sammy Smith (JR Motorsports)
No. 16 - Christian Eckes (Kaulig Racing)
No. 26 - Dean Thompson (Sam Hunt Racing)
All leaders pit, and Jones gets off pit road first, followed by Allgaier as Zilisch had a slow stop.
Jones and Allgaier lead the field to green on lap 68, and Zilisch immediately goes on the inside for Allgaier for second place. Zilisch makes the move stick on lap 69.
R. Sieg sends Eckes wide on lap 71, making Eckes lose five places.
Creed, the lowest qualifier of the Dash 4 Cash drivers, jumps into 12th position after spending most of the first stage outside of the top 15.
Second caution on lap 81 as Garrett Smithley spins off turn 4. Jones checks up, and Zilisch makes contact with Jones's back, causing damage to both cards. Jones pits while Zilisch stays out.
Under caution, Parker Retzlaff, H. Burton, Jeb Burton, Brad Perez, and Jeremy Clements pit. J. Burton was penalized for entering the pit road too fast.
Zilisch and Allgaier line up to take the green flag on lap 89. Gray looked to make it a three-way fight for the lead but thought better of it as Allgaier made the outside work and took the lead momentarily before Zilisch reclaimed it.
Teammates Creed and Mayer make slight contact on lap 94, giving Mayer a puncture.
Caution on lap 95, Dean Thompson spins but makes no contact with the wall or other drivers.
Some drivers pit under caution on lap 98, including Allgaier, Gray, and Almirola. Allgier wins off pit road and lines up in 18th for the restart.
Zilisch restarted on the inside, and A. Hill was on the outside, taking the field to green on lap 102. Zilisch easily kept the lead as A. Hill had a bad restart and was immediately passed by Kvapil, Daniel Dye, and Sawalich.
By lap 110, the top 5 was made up of rookies as Nick Sanchez made it past A. Hill.
On lap 115, Sawalich made a move on the inside of Dye for third place.
Almirola was the biggest mover of the group that pitted under the last caution, making it to sixth position in the closing stages.
Stage 2 Results:
No. 88 - Connor Zilisch (JR Motorsports)
No. 1 - Carson Kvapil (JR Motorsports)
No. 18 - William Sawalich (Joe Gibbs Racing)
No. 10 - Daniel Dye (Kaulig Racing)
No. 48 - Nick Sanchez (Big Machine Racing)
No. 19 - Aric Almirola (Joe Gibbs Racing)
No. 11 - Josh Williams (Kaulig Racing)
No. 7 - Justin Allgaier (JR Motorsports)
No. 54 - Taylor Gray (Joe Gibbs Racing)
No. 31 - Blaine Perkins (Jordan Anderson Racing)
The drivers that did not pit under the last caution pit on lap 125. Zilisch won off pit road, and Sawalich moved up a place.
Almirola takes the lead, with Allgaier restarting on the outside as they take the drivers to green on lap 132. Allgaier has a bad start, allowing Gray to take the second position, and Creed fights for third, which he takes.
Gray looks on the inside and takes the lead from Almirola on lap 133.
Kvapil and A. Hill scrap for places, and Kvapil narrowly saves the car from going entirely sideways.
The fifth caution comes out on lap 140 as H. Burton gets spun by Thomas Annunziata. Both were able to continue.
Gray lines up on the inside and Creed on the outside on lap 148 as they go back to green. Creed inches into the lead but is not completely clear from Gray. Gray finally slots in front.
The sixth caution is thrown as Kvapil slows down on lap 150 after contact with Mayer again. Mayer sent Kvapil into the inside wall.
Pitlane opens as the top three pit. Gray comes out first off pit road, and the lineup is mostly the same, besides Allgaier making up six places and Zilisch losing one place.
Eckes takes the inside with Myatt Snider on the outside as they go back to green on lap 160. Eckes pulls forward cleanly as Sawalich battles for second place, making the move stick by the end of the lap.
The seventh caution comes out as Zilisch is spun around on lap 175. He is able to continue with no damage.
Some drivers pit under caution, including Eckes, sending Sawalich to the lead.
Sawalich takes the inside, and Gray takes the outside ad they lead the field back to green on lap 183. Gray taps Sawalich before taking the lead. Creed came on the inside and took second place as Sawalich fell further back.
The next caution came as Carson Ware spun and stalled on track on lap 191.
Sawalich drops to 23rd as he pit for a tyre change.
S. Smith started on the outside of Gray on lap 197, and Gray cleared S. Smith.
Another caution was thrown immediately on lap 201 as H. Burton spun between turns 3 and 4. Almirola and Snider pit.
On lap 206, Greg Van Alst stalled on track, needing the caution to be continued.
Gray and S. Smith led the field once again on lap 208. Gray pulled ahead as S. Smith, Allgaier and Creed fought for second.
On lap 209, another caution was thrown as Thompson lost the rear and spun during the restart.
The front four line up as they were as they went back to green on lap 215. Gray got a great start once again.
Caution number 11 comes out when Kvapil spins and catches Jesse Love on lap 217. Eceks hits Love, who hits and spins Kvapil. Love’s car smokes as he is forced to retire.
Gray and Allgaier line up alongside each other as S. Smith chooses to go behind Gray instead for the restart on lap 228. Gray pulls ahead as Allgaier and S. Smith scrap for second. S. Smith comes out in second place.
A big crash on lap 232 brought out the 12th caution. Dye touches Eckes, and Eckes spun. Dye makes additional contact with Sanchez, Josh Williams, Kyle Sieg, and Snider. This caution was escalated to a red flag for track cleanup.
The red flag was lifted with 17 to go, and Gray led the way to green on lap 238. Allgaier goes wide, and Gray gets away. R. Seig starts smoking after close contact and pits
Zilisch gets caught up behind Sawalich and loses the back end, colliding with Jeremy Clements, beginning another yellow flag out on lap 242.
Gray and Allgaier lead the field once again on lap 248 in a two-lap shootout. S. Smith catches Gray off guard, coming around the inside.
Matt DiBenedetto spins, making this the 14th caution and sending the race into overtime.
S. Smith leads the way from the inside as Jones lines up on the outside. Creed lines up behind Jones, making him the highest of the Dash 4 Cash drivers. S. Smith takes the field on, and Gray sails bay on the inside.
Gray and S. Smith side by side on the last lap before S. Smith makes contact with Gray and sends him into the wall.
Credit: Logan Riely / Getty Images
A. Hill, who restarted in seventh, pushed past Allgaier as S. Smith went wide to take the checkered flag, followed by Creed.
A. Hill also takes the Dash 4 Cash win in overtime.
Provisional Results
No. 21 - Austin Hill (Richard Childress Racing)
No. 00 - Sheldon Creed (Haas Factory Team)
No. 7 - Justin Allgaier (JR Motorsports)
No. 44 - Brennen Poole (Alpha Prime Racing)
No. 41 - Sam Mayer (Haas Factory Team)
No. 26 - Dean Thompson (Sam Hunt Racing)
No. 10 - Daniel Dye (Kaulig Racing)
No. 39 - Ryan Sieg (RSS Racing)
No. 5 - Kris Wright (Our Motorsports)
No. 8 - Sammy Smith (JR Motorsports)
No. 27 - Jeb Burton (Jordan Anderson Racing)
No. 4 - Parker Retzlaff (Alpha Prime Racing)
No. 19 - Aric Almirola (Joe Gibbs Racing)
No. 51 - Jeremy Clements (Jeremy Clements Racing)
No. 14 - Garrett Smithley (SS-Green Light Racing)
No. 24 - Patrick Staropoli (Sam Hunt Racing)
No. 11 - Josh Williams (Kaulig Racing)
No. 71 - Ryan Ellis (DGM Racing)
No. 31 - Blaine Perkins (Jordan Anderson Racing)
No. 1 - Carson Kvapil (JR Motorsports)
No. 17 - Corey Day (Hendrick Motorsports)
No. 20 - Brandon Jones (Joe Gibbs Racing)
No 45 - Brad Perez (Alpha Prime Racing)
No. 25 - Harrison Burton (AM Racing)
No. 53 - Mason Maggio (Joey Gase Motorsports)
No. 99 - Matt DiBenedetto (Viking Motorsports)
No. 18 - William Sawalich (Joe Gibbs Racing)
No. 88 - Connor Zilisch (JR Motorsports)
No. 54 - Taylor Gray (Joe Gibbs Racing)
No. 07 - Carson Ware (SS-Green Light Racing)
No. 70 - Thomas Annuziata (Cope Family Racing)
No. 48 - Nick Sanchez (Big Machine Racing)
No. 91 - Myatt Snider (DGM Racing)
No. 16 - Christian Eckes (Kaulig Racing)
No. 28 - Kyle Sieg (RSS Racing)
No. 35 - Greg Van Alst(Joey Gase Motorsports)
No. 2 - Jesse Love (Richard Childress Racing) [DNF]
No. 42 - Anthony Alfredo (Young’s Motorsports) [DNF]
Don’t forget to tune in next week as NASCAR Xfinity heads to Darlington Raceway on Saturday, April 5, at 15:30 EST (20:30 BST).
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