By Holly Cain, NASCAR Wire Service
HAMPTON, Ga. – The Atlanta Motor Speedway is Austin Hill’s home track after all – and the Georgia native proved again Saturday night that he absolutely “owns it.”
Hill dominated the NASCAR Xfinity Series Bennett Transportation and Logistics 250 on the Atlanta high banks – leading 146 of the 163 laps to claim his first victory of the early 2025 season driving the No. 21 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet sponsored by the race’s title sponsor.
Hill has won four of the last six Atlanta races – the last three consecutively and five in all – including a sweep of both events last year. And although his laps led total is impressive, he really had to work for this trophy, after losing the lead briefly on a restart with three laps to go.
With a timely tap on Hill’s Chevrolet’s rear bumper from Parker Retzlaff, Hill was able to push forward and take the lead entering the first turn on the final lap. He held on to the win by a slight .216-second having to fend off reigning series champion, JR Motorsports’ Justin Allgaier and Joe Gibbs Racing’s veteran Aric Almirola – who both previously led at various times on that final restart.
“Thank you to Parker Retzlaff for giving me that push, and then once I got clear and into [turn] one I was just wide open and I was hoping they weren’t going to build up momentum,” Hill said, adding, “To be able to do this is something special.”
Hill’s five Xfinity Series wins at Atlanta ties a record set by former NASCAR Cup Series champion Kevin Harvick. His eight-win total at drafting tracks ties a series record with a pair of NASCAR Hall of Famers, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Tony Stewart.
Hill swept the two stage wins – for the second time in as many races this year giving him a 100 percent mark in 2025.
With his teammate Jesse Love winning the pole position for the race, it gives the RCR team a weekend sweep of pole and race wins for the second time – no other team has won a pole position or hoisted a trophy in 2025. It also marks the 99th Xfinity Series victory for the NASCAR Hall of Famer Richard Childress’s team. Hill and Love led all but four laps in the race.
This is Hill’s 11th career win and after holding the point for the vast majority of the race, he ultimately earned it the hard way – a last lap pass.
“He definitely had the dominant car but I thought we might snooker one away,” Almirola said of racing Hill in those final three laps. “But it just wasn’t meant to be.”
JR Motorsports’ Sammy Smith and Big Machine Racing rookie Nick Sanchez rounded out the top-five. A final lap accident on the backstretch created chaos for several of the night’s most consistent top-10 frontrunners.
Jeb Burton, rookie Daniel Dye, Leland Honeyman, rookie William Sawalich and Harrison Burton ultimately rounded out the top-10 at the checkered flag. Kaulig Racing rookie Christian Eckes earned the Fastest Lap Bonus point.
With the victory, Hill takes a 1-point lead over Haas Factory Team driver Sheldon Creed, who was eliminated from a top-10 finish in that multi-car accident on the last lap and scored 14th. Hill’s teammate, last week’s Daytona winner Love, finished 16th.
The NASCAR Xfinity Series returns to competition next Saturday in the Focused Health 250 (2:30 p.m. ET on CW, PRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio) at the Circuit of The Americas road course. NASCAR Cup Series champion Kyle Larson is the defending race winner.
Interview:
NXS Race Winner – Austin Hill (No. 21 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet) –
NASCAR Xfinity Series Race – Bennett Transportation & Logistics 250
Atlanta Motor Speedway
Hampton, Georgia
Saturday, February 22, 2025
1. (2) Austin Hill, Chevrolet, 163.
2. (4) Justin Allgaier, Chevrolet, 163.
3. (16) Aric Almirola, Toyota, 163.
4. (12) Sammy Smith, Chevrolet, 163.
5. (15) Nick Sanchez #, Chevrolet, 163.
6. (20) Jeb Burton, Chevrolet, 163.
7. (13) Daniel Dye #, Chevrolet, 163.
8. (29) Leland Honeyman, Chevrolet, 163.
9. (11) William Sawalich #, Toyota, 163.
10. (19) Harrison Burton, Ford, 163.
11. (24) Jeremy Clements, Chevrolet, 163.
12. (30) Matt DiBenedetto, Chevrolet, 163.
13. (7) Brandon Jones, Toyota, 163.
14. (17) Sheldon Creed, Ford, 163.
15. (3) Josh Williams, Chevrolet, 163.
16. (1) Jesse Love, Chevrolet, 163.
17. (31) Brennan Poole, Chevrolet, 163.
18. (26) Ryan Ellis, Chevrolet, 163.
19. (25) Blaine Perkins, Chevrolet, 163.
20. (14) Ryan Sieg, Ford, 163.
21. (38) Joey Gase, Chevrolet, 163.
22. (34) Nick Leitz, Chevrolet, 163.
23. (8) Carson Kvapil #, Chevrolet, 163.
24. (33) Garrett Smithley, Chevrolet, 163.
25. (21) CJ McLaughlin, Chevrolet, 163.
26. (28) Kris Wright, Chevrolet, 163.
27. (23) Parker Retzlaff, Chevrolet, 163.
28. (36) Mason Massey, Chevrolet, 163.
29. (9) Christian Eckes #, Chevrolet, Accident, 162.
30. (32) Josh Bilicki, Chevrolet, 162.
31. (37) Mason Maggio, Ford, 162.
32. (35) Carson Ware, Chevrolet, 161.
33. (27) Kyle Sieg, Ford, 154.
34. (10) Connor Zilisch #, Chevrolet, Accident, 151.
35. (22) Dean Thompson #, Toyota, 149.
36. (5) Sam Mayer, Ford, Accident, 141.
37. (18) Anthony Alfredo, Chevrolet, Accident, 141.
38. (6) Taylor Gray #, Toyota, Accident, 118.
Average Speed of Race Winner: 106.59 mph.
Time of Race: 2 Hrs, 21 Mins, 18 Secs. Margin of Victory: 0.216 Seconds.
Caution Flags: 8 for 49 laps.
Lead Changes: 11 among 6 drivers.
Lap Leaders: J. Love 1-3;S. Mayer 4;J. Love 5-11;A. Hill 12-47;L. Honeyman 48;A. Hill 49-71;J. Love 72-74;A. Hill 75-93;N. Leitz 94;A. Hill 95-161;A. Almirola 162;A. Hill 163.
Leaders Summary (Driver, Times Lead, Laps Led): Austin Hill 5 times for 146 laps; Jesse Love 3 times for 13 laps; Nick Leitz 1 time for 1 lap; Aric Almirola 1 time for 1 lap; Sam Mayer 1 time for 1 lap; Leland Honeyman 1 time for 1 lap.
Stage #1 Top Ten: 21,2,41,54,1,88,7,16,25,00
Stage #2 Top Ten: 21,41,00,7,2,19,8,88,27,16
