Xfinity Series: Austin Hill wins in last-lap caution at Talladega

Written by Bailey Defoor

Credit: Logan Riely / Getty Images

Austin Hill prevails after a last-lap caution in a hard-fought race at Talladega.

As it unfolded

Jesse Love started on pole alongside teammate Hill. Love got ahead as Hill spun the tyres a bit on the start. 

Behind them, Justin Allgaier and Joey Gase slotted into 3rd and 4th, respectively.

Taylor Gray started to lead in the middle lane, but the top 3 moved to block him. Allgaier also got around the outside of Hill for 2nd.

William Sawalich had one of the best starts, making it into the top ten five laps in after starting in 18th.

On lap 5, Gray got underneath Allgiaer and began to challenge for 2nd.

Parker Retzlaff pitted from 23rd with a flat rear tyre.

On lap 8, the top 3 ran a single file led by Love, Allgaier, and Hill. Gray and Jeb Burton battled for fourth.

By lap 10, the top 6 ran single file with Sheldon Creed, Carson Kvapil, and Gray running 3-wide for 7th. One lap later, the top 12 were running single file.

A middle lane formed on lap 15 and started to challenge for 5th.

Nick Sanchez surged on the inside land on lap 18 to challenge Love for the lead, but Love kept ahead. 

Stage 1 Results:

1. No. 2 - Jesse Love (Richard Childress Racing)

2. No. 21 - Austin Hill (Richard Childress Racing)

3. No. 00 - Sheldon Creed (Haas Factory Team)

4. No. 16 - Christian Eckes (Kaulig Racing)

5. No. 39 - Ryan Sieg (RSS Racing)

6. No. 11 - Josh Williams (Kaulig Racing)

7. No. 48 - Nick Sanchez (Big Machine Racing)

8. No. 25 - Harrison Burton (AM Racing)

9. No. 7 - Justin Allgaier (JR Motorsports)

10. No. 27 - Jeb Burton (Jordan Anderson Racing)

After a round of pit stops, Love and Nick Sanchez make it off pit road first. Leland Honeman made up an astounding 20 places on pit road!

Love lined up on the inside of Sanchez for the restart on lap 32. Sanchez got around the outside of Love but could not make it stick as he dropped out of the top 10.

On lap 33, Love cleared for the lead as Allgaier and Eckes fought for 2nd.

On lap 36, Sammy Smith cleared for the lead. Jeb Burton got inside Love and battled with him and Smith for the lead. Eckes got inside of J. Burton, shuffling Love and J. Burton back. Eceks took the lead off turn 4.

J. Burton passed Eckes on lap 38. Hill and Love lead in the middle lane and challenge Smith and Eckes for 2nd.

Hill takes the lead on lap 44 after diving to the inside of J. Burton. Love battles for third as J. Burton and Hill block him.

On lap 45, J. Burton sinks through the field as Love takes 2nd. Aric Almirola comes surging through the field, battling for second as the stage closes.

Stage 2 Results:

1. No. 21 - Austin Hill (Richard Childress Racing)

2. No. 2 - Jesse Love (Richard Childress Racing)

3. No. 19 - Aric Almirola (Joe Gibbs Racing)

4. No. 48 - Nick Sanchez (Big Machine Racing)

5. No. 8 - Sammy Smith (JR Motorsports)

6. No. 88 - Connor Zilisch (JR Motorsports)

7. No. 27 - Jeb Burton (Jordan Anderson Racing)

8. No. 7 - Justin Allgaier (JR Motorsports)

9. No. 18 - William Sawalich (Joe Gibbs Racing)

10. No. 25 - Harrison Burton (AM Racing)

After another round of pit stops, Love makes it off pit road first.

Love lined up on the inside with Almirola on the outside as they went back to green in lap 56. Love kept the lead as Almirola dropped out of the top five, and Hill got back up to 2nd. 

Sanchez shot to the outside, narrowly avoiding the wall on the restart. 

On lap 69, front-runners started pitting under the green flag. 

Almirola and Brandon Jones battled for the lead while William Sawalich dropped to the bottom of the track with an engine issue on lap 76.

The first caution came on lap 79 as Smith and Greg Van Alst made contact, causing both to crash. After spinning through the grass, Ryan Sieg received heavy front-end damage, and J. Burton bounced off the outside wall.

Just before the restart, Josh Williams was given a 2-lap penalty for having too many crew members over the wall.

The restart came on lap 85 with Creed on the outside and Jones on the inside. Jones took the lead initially, but Creed came back to be side by side with Jones.

On lap 87, Love challenged outside of Jones for 2nd with the help of Almirola. Creed jumped to the outer lane to block Love.

Love made it back to the front on lap 89, but had three lanes coming after him. 

On lap 90, Connor Zilisch, Love, and Jones went three wide, and Zilisch caught Love sleeping and took the lead from the outside. 

Hill caught up and began challenging for the lead on lap 96, and took it one lap later. 

Love got back up and battled with Zilisch and Hill for the lead on lap 99. 

The second caution came on lap 101 as Almriola moved up and made contact with Katherine Legge. Jeffrey Earnhardt and Jones were also collected. 

Hill took the outside, Zilisch on the inside, and Love just behind his teammate as they took the field back to green on lap 107. Zilisch got the early lead as Sanchez went around the outside to take the lead. Zilisch retook the lead on lap 108 ahead of Allgaier.

Allgaier briefly got the lead, but Zilisch came back as they went four-wide for the lead. J. Burton went inside and challenged for the lead when Zilisch was tagged from behind, as a caution was thrown on the last lap. 

Zilisch got turned on the backstretch while trying to cover Love and made hard contact with the inside wall.

The finish was under review. J. Burton, Love and Hill lined up on the track, waiting for confirmation. Officially, Hill was named the winner.

Provisional Results

1. No. 21 -  Austin Hill (Richard Childress Racing)

2. No. 27 - Jeb Burton (Jordan Anderson Racing)

3. No. 2 - Jesse Love (Richard Childress Racing)

4. No. 7 - Justin Allgaier (JR Motorsports)

5. No. 99 - Matt DiBenedetto (Viking Motorsports)

6. No. 42 - Anthony Alfredo (Young’s Motorsports)

7. No. 31 - Blaine Perkins (Jordan Anderson Racing)

8. No. 25 - Harrison Burton (AM Racing)

9. No. 00 - Sheldon Creed (Haas Factory Team)

10. No. 10 - Daniel Dye (Kaulig Racing)

11. No. 54 - Taylor Gray (Joe Gibbs Racing)

12. No. 07 - Patrick Emerling (SS-Green Light Racing)

13. No. 70 - Leland Honeyman (Cope Family Racing)

14. No. 41 - Sam Mayer (Haas Factory Team)

15. No. 48 - Nick Sanchez (Big Machine Racing)

16. No. 71 - Ryan Ellis (DGM Racing)

17. No. 1 - Carson Kvapil (JR Motorsports)

18. No. 26 - Dean Thompson (Sam Hunt Racing)

19. No. 44 - Brennen Poole (Alpha Prime Racing)

20. No. 91 - Jesse Iwuji (DGM Racing x JIM)

21. No. 53 - Joey Gase (Joey Gase Motorsports)

22. No. 66 - Mason Maggio (Motorsports Business Management)

23. No. 28 - Kyle Sieg (RSS Racing)

24. No. 5 - Kris Wright (Our Motorsports)

25. No. 16 - Christian Eckes (Kaulig Racing)

26. No. 51 - Jeremy Clements (Jeremy Clements Racing)

27. No. 88 - Connor Zilisch (JR Motorsports)

28. No. 20 - Brandon Jones (Joe Gibbs Racing)

29. No. 11 - Josh Williams (Kaulig Racing)

30. No. 45 - Caesar Bacarella (Alpha Prime Racing)

31. No. 8 - Sammy Smith (JR Motorsports) [DNF]

32. No. 24 - Jeffrey Earnhardt (Sam Hunt Racing) [DNF]

33. No. 19 - Aric Almirola (Joe Gibbs Racing) [DNF]

34. No. 32 - Katherine Legge (Jordan Anderson Racing) [DNF]

35. No. 35 - Greg Van Alst (Joey Gase Motorsports) [DNF]

36. No. 39 - Ryan Sieg (RSS Racing) [DNF]

37. No. 18 - William Sawalich (Joe Gibbs Racing) [DNF]

38. No. 4 - Parker Retzlaff (Alpha Prime Racing) [DNF]

Tune in next week as NASCAR Xfinity heads to Texas Motor Speedway on Saturday, May 3, at 14:00 EST (19:00 BST).