Xfinity Series: Hill wins his way into final round with clean Homestead victory

Written by Sean McKean

Credit - Sean Gardner / Getty Images

Despite the best attempts from Cole Custer to usurp him, nothing stopped Austin Hill from taking his fourth victory of the season. It was Hill’s first win at Homestead-Miami.

As it unfolded

With JGR locking out the top three, Chandler Smith led from pole and led the opening laps uncontested. But, as the long run progressed, Cole Custer’s car came alive, taking the lead on Lap 32.

With five laps remaining in the first stage, Sammy Smith came to the pits with a flat right-front tyre. At the same time, Aric Almirola and Austin Hill caught up to Custer and started engaging in a battle for the lead.

In the end, Hill won the first stage followed by Almirola and Sheldon Creed. 

Stage 1 Results:

1. No. 21 - Austin Hill [Playoffs]

2. No. 20 - Aric Almirola

3. No. 18 - Sheldon Creed 

4. No. 7 - Justin Allgaier [Playoffs]

5. No. 00 - Cole Custer [Playoffs]

6. No. 1 - Sam Mayer [Playoffs]

7. No. 16 - AJ Allmendinger [Playoffs]

8. No. 98 - Riley Herbst

9. No. 81 - Chandler Smith [Playoffs]

10. No. 28 - Ryan Sieg

Austin Hill led the way on Lap 53 again and also led uncontested. 

Another tyre failure occurred to a top-ten runner. This time, on Lap 68, Riley Herbst came into the pits with yet another right-front flat. He continued but fell one lap down.

The first retirement of the day happened with six laps to go in stage two. The issues befell Leland Honeyman, who suffered an engine failure following contact with the wall.

Then, with four laps remaining, the first caution came out. This one was for Nick Leitz, who went for a spin off Turn 2. He continued undamaged.

However, this ended the second stage. Hill again crossed the line first ahead of AJ Allmendinger and Cole Custer.

Stage 2 Results:

1. No. 21 - Austin Hill [Playoffs]

2. No. 16 - AJ Allmendinger [Playoffs]

3. No. 00 - Cole Custer [Playoffs]

4. No. 28 - Ryan Sieg

5. No. 20 - Aric Almirola

6. No. 18 - Sheldon Creed

7. No. 7 - Justin Allgaier [Playoffs]

8. No. 81 - Chandler Smith [Playoffs]

9. No. 2 - Jesse Love [Playoffs]

10. No. 19 - William Sawalich

On the Lap 98 restart, Custer initially managed to snatch the lead from Hill. But, eleven laps later, Hill took it back and started pulling away.

The second caution for cause came out on Lap 122. Going into Turn 1, Josh Williams suffered a flat tyre, sending him into the path of Ryan Truex – who went for a spin. Both cars continued with damage.

In pit stops, Hill retained his lead. His teammate, Jesse Love, also jumped up to second.

Hill again took the lead on the Lap 128 restart, but Cole Custer’s short-run speed showed – taking the lead for himself.

Debutant William Sawalich was the next to suffer a flat tyre on Lap 145 after he tapped the wall in Turn 4. He fell one lap down in his subsequent pit stop.

Green flag pit stops began on Lap 158. Chandler Smith suffered a slow pit stop because of a faulty jack. Once all cycled out, Custer retained the lead.

But, as the laps wound down, Austin Hill began to close the gap to the defending champion ahead. This amounted to Hill taking the lead with only 12 laps remaining.

Hill led the remaining laps to win his way into the Championship 4. Custer finished a distant three seconds back followed by Aric Almirola.

Provisional Results:

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

2. No. 00 - Cole Custer (Stewart-Haas Racing) [Playoffs]

3. No. 20 - Aric Almirola (Joe Gibbs Racing)

4. No. 2 - Jesse Love (Richard Childress Racing) [Playoffs]

5. No. 18 - Sheldon Creed (Joe Gibbs Racing)

6. No. 98 - Riley Herbst (Stewart-Haas Racing)

7. No. 28 - Ryan Sieg (RSS Racing)

8. No. 7 - Justin Allgaier (JR Motorsports) [Playoffs]

9. No. 1 - Sam Mayer (JR Motorsports) [Playoffs]

10. No. 16 - AJ Allmendinger (Kaulig Racing) [Playoffs]

11. No. 48 - Parker Kligerman (Big Machine Racing Team)

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

13. No. 81 - Chandler Smith (Joe Gibbs Racing) [Playoffs]

14. No. 91 - Kyle Weatherman (DGM Racing)

15. No. 5 - Anthony Alfredo (Our Motorsports)

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

17. No. 97 - Shane van Gisbergen (Kaulig Racing) +1 lap

18. No. 44 - Brennan Poole (Alpha Prime Racing) +1 lap

19. No. 9 - Brandon Jones (JR Motorsports) +1 lap

20. No. 27 - Jeb Burton (Jordan Anderson Racing) +1 lap

21. No. 26 - Ryan Truex (Sam Hunt Racing) +1 lap

22. No. 8 - Sammy Smith (JR Motorsports) [Playoffs] +1 lap

23. No. 31 - Parker Retzlaff (Jordan Anderson Racing) +1 lap

24. No. 19 - William Sawalich (Joe Gibbs Racing) +1 lap

25. No. 43 - Ryan Ellis (Alpha Prime Racing) +1 lap

26. No. 39 - Kyle Sieg (RSS Racing) +1 lap

27. No. 11 - Josh Williams (Kaulig Racing) +3 laps

28. No. 07 - Brad Perez (SS-Greenlight Racing) +3 laps

29. No. 14 - Austin Green (SS-Greenlight Racing) +3 laps

30. No. 42 - Leland Honeyman (Young’s Motorsports) +3 laps

31. No. 45 - Mason Maggio (Alpha Prime Racing) +3 laps

32. No. 15 - Dylan Lupton (AM Racing) +4 laps

33. No. 74 - Dawson Cram (Mike Harmon Racing) +4 laps

34. No. 29 - Blaine Perkins (RSS Racing) +5 laps

35. No. 35 - Armani Williams (Joey Gase Motorsports) +7 laps

36. No. 53 - Thomas Annunziata (Joey Gase Motorsports) +10 laps

37. No. 92 - Nick Leitz (DGM Racing) [DNF]

38. No. 38 - Matt DiBenedetto (RSS Racing) [DNF]

After that Homestead race, the playoff grid approaching the Round of 8 finale is as follows:

Provisional Playoff Grid:

1. No. 16 - AJ Allmendinger: WIN

2. No. 21 - Austin Hill: WIN

3. No. 7 - Justin Allgaier: +35

4. No. 00 - Cole Custer: +28

Playoff Cut Line

5. No. 81 - Chandler Smith: -28

6. No. 2 - Jesse Love: -35

7. No. 1 - Sam Mayer: -47

8. No. 8 - Sammy Smith: -95