{"id":55302,"date":"2025-10-18T19:30:59","date_gmt":"2025-10-19T00:30:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/racedaysa.com\/?p=55302"},"modified":"2025-10-19T11:54:08","modified_gmt":"2025-10-19T16:54:08","slug":"superspeedway-ace-austin-hill-completes-talladega-season-sweep","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/2025\/10\/18\/superspeedway-ace-austin-hill-completes-talladega-season-sweep\/","title":{"rendered":"Superspeedway ace Austin Hill completes Talladega season sweep"},"content":{"rendered":"
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By Holly Cain, NASCAR Wire Service<\/em><\/p>\n

TALLADEGA, Ala. \u2013 Once again, Richard Childress Racing\u2019s Austin Hill proved himself the driver to beat on NASCAR\u2019s big drafting-style tracks, the veteran holding off the field on a dramatic overtime restart with two laps remaining at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway to earn the victory in Saturday\u2019s United Rentals 250.<\/p>\n

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Austin Hill, driver of the #21 Bennett Transportation Chevrolet, takes the checkered flag to win the NASCAR Xfinity Series United Rentals 250 at Talladega Superspeedway on October 18, 2025 in Talladega, Alabama. (Photo by Sean Gardner\/Getty Images)<\/p><\/div>\n

Hill\u2019s No. 21 RCR Chevrolet led a race-best 48 of the 100 laps to earn a season sweep at the 2.66-mile speedway, NASCAR\u2019s biggest track. The 31-year old Georgia native claimed both stage wins and the .105-second victory over JR Motorsports Playoff driver Carson Kvapil. The victory now gives him 10 wins at drafting style tracks \u2013 having already eclipsed the previous record set by NASCAR Hall of Famers Dale Earnhardt and Tony Stewart who each had eight victories on that style of track.<\/p>\n

Although Hill has been eliminated from contention for the driver\u2019s title, his win Saturday does guarantee his RCR team a car in the 2025 owner\u2019s championship.<\/p>\n

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Austin Hill, driver of the #21 Bennett Transportation Chevrolet, celebrates in victory lane after winning during the NASCAR Xfinity Series United Rentals 250 at Talladega Superspeedway on October 18, 2025 in Talladega, Alabama. (Photo by Chris Graythen\/Getty Images)<\/p><\/div>\n

\u201cIf you have any questions and it\u2019s green-white-checkered, you probably just go to the bottom [of the track] because of how crazy was the second and third lane there at the end,\u2019\u2019 an elated Hill said after climbing down from the hood of this Chevy where he waved his hands and encouraged the huge crowd\u2019s loud reaction.<\/p>\n

\u201cBeing able to race for Richard Childress is always special and to be able to deliver wins like this,\u2019\u2019 Hill continued. \u201cAs the Playoff started and us getting knocked out the way we did, stung a lot, but once we knew we were still in it for the owner\u2019s championship, I decided I\u2019d do it just like I would going for a driver\u2019s championship.<\/p>\n

\u201cTo be able to lock ourselves in and go to Phoenix knowing we\u2019re going for an owner\u2019s championship and be able to try and deliver one to Richard Childress Racing means the world to me.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Austin Hill, driver of the #21 Bennett Transportation Chevrolet, celebrates in victory lane after winning during the NASCAR Xfinity Series United Rentals 250 at Talladega Superspeedway on October 18, 2025 in Talladega, Alabama. (Photo by Chris Graythen\/Getty Images)<\/p><\/div>\n

Kvapil\u2019s JR Motorsports teammate and fellow Playoff driver Justin Allgaier finished third, significant in that it boosted the reigning champion\u2019s points total enough to clinch one of the four Championship eligible entries for the Nov. 1 season finale at Phoenix.<\/p>\n

Another JR Motorsports teammate, rookie Connor Zilisch had a rough outing Saturday. His No. 88 JRM Chevy finishing 23rd, three laps down after being collected in a late-race accident. But the good news for the series 10-race winner and regular season champion was that his outing earned enough points for him to officially claim a championship bid. While it ended a series record streak of 18 top-five finishes for the young phenom, it was still good enough to allow him a shot at his first NASCAR title.<\/p>\n

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Austin Hill, driver of the #21 Bennett Transportation Chevrolet, leads the field to a restart during the NASCAR Xfinity Series United Rentals 250 at Talladega Superspeedway on October 18, 2025 in Talladega, Alabama. (Photo by Sean Gardner\/Getty Images)<\/p><\/div>\n

The final two championship positions will be decided next week at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway although the JR Motorsports team certainly showed the intensity and purpose it\u2019s carrying forward in hopes of deciding the championship completely among themselves.<\/p>\n

Sammy Smith, driver of the No. 8 JRM Chevrolet, finished ninth moving him from last place among the eight Playoff drivers entering Saturday\u2019s race to now fifth place, only 11 points behind Kvapil who moved into that all important fourth-place transfer spot.<\/p>\n

Hill\u2019s RCR teammate Jesse Love, who led 19 laps \u2013 second only to Hill Saturday \u2013 finished 10th after a decision to give up track position to pit for fuel during the caution period leading into the overtime re-start. He raced back through the field for that top-10 effort, but had been running top-three behind Hill and Allgaier before topping off for that fuel. He goes to Martinsville third in the standings, a healthy 40 points above the Playoff cutoff line.<\/p>\n

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Justin Allgaier, driver of the #7 BRANDT Chevrolet, Austin Hill, driver of the #21 Bennett Transportation Chevrolet, and Christian Eckes, driver of the #16 Morris-Shea Bridge Co Inc Chevrolet, race during the NASCAR Xfinity Series United Rentals 250 at Talladega Superspeedway on October 18, 2025 in Talladega, Alabama. (Photo by Chris Graythen\/Getty Images)<\/p><\/div>\n

\u201cJust a bit mundane,\u2019\u2019 Love said of his result, conceding how difficult the call to get fuel was in the closing laps. \u201cNothing crazy good or bad, but obviously we\u2019ll never know if that was right call to come down and take fuel, but I had to trust my gut and I didn\u2019t know if I was going to make it or not.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was honestly kind of close. \u2026 It does stink because I think we had as good a car as the 21 (Hill). I think he was a little bit more aggressive than I was, but we did what we needed to do and didn\u2019t beat ourselves today.\u2019\u2019<\/p>\n

Overtime was necessitated when Smith \u2013 running in the middle lane trying to make a late move for the win \u2013 just nudged his No. 8 Chevrolet\u2019s right front bumper from the middle lane into the left rear of Aric Almirola\u2019s Toyota in the outside lane. The result was a five-car accident that eliminated the last week’s race winner Almirola and brought out that final two-lap overtime session to decide the trophy.<\/p>\n

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Jesse Love, driver of the #2 Whelen Chevrolet, poses with the pole award winner $2,00.00 check during qualifying for the NASCAR Xfinity Series United Rentals 250 at Talladega Superspeedway on October 18, 2025 in Talladega, Alabama. (Photo by Sean Gardner\/Getty Images)<\/p><\/div>\n

On the other side of the afternoon, there was almost immediate trouble at the start of the race for a trio of Playoff contenders. Both Haas Factory Team cars driven by Sheldon Creed and Sam Mayer were eliminated from the race after suffering significant damage in that Lap 15 eight-car pileup. They finished 34th (Creed) and 38th  (Mayer). Joe Gibbs Racing\u2019s Playoff driver Brandon Jones\u2019 was also involved in the accident to a lesser degree and able to keep his No. 20 Toyota running, albeit several laps down. He finished 26th.<\/p>\n

Jones now sits sixth in the standings, 20 points below the cutoff line heading into Martinsville. Mayer dropped from fourth place to seventh place \u2013 22 points behind Kvapil; the first time he\u2019s fallen below the elimination line this Playoff run. Creed is now 41 points below the transfer line in eighth place needing a clutch victory at Martinsville to continue his Playoff hopes.<\/p>\n

On the upside of Saturday\u2019s Talladega results, Kaulig Racing rookie Christian Eckes finished fourth, his sixth top-five of the year. And veteran Caesar Bacarella\u2019s fifth-place run in the No. 5 Alpha Prime Racing Chevy was a career-best effort.<\/p>\n

Blaine Perkins, Parker Retzlaff, Leland Honeyman, Smith and Love rounded out the top-10.<\/p>\n

The NASCAR Xfinity Series moves to Martinsville (Va.) Speedway for next Saturday\u2019s all-important IAA and Ritchie Bros. 250 (7:30 p.m. ET, The CW Network, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio). Almirola is the defending race winner.<\/p>\n

Interview: NXS Winner – Austin Hill (No. 21 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet) – <\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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NASCAR Xfinity Series Race – United Rentals 250<\/b><\/p>\n

Talladega Superspeedway<\/b><\/p>\n

Talladega, Alabama<\/b><\/p>\n

Saturday, October 18, 2025<\/b><\/p>\n

                  1. (5)  Austin Hill (P), Chevrolet, 100.<\/p>\n

                  2. (4)  Carson Kvapil # (P), Chevrolet, 100.<\/span><\/p>\n

                  3. (8)  Justin Allgaier (P), Chevrolet, 100.<\/span><\/p>\n

                  4. (3)  Christian Eckes #, Chevrolet, 100.<\/span><\/p>\n

                  5. (25)  Caesar Bacarella, Chevrolet, 100.<\/span><\/p>\n

                  6. (14)  Blaine Perkins, Chevrolet, 100.<\/span><\/p>\n

                  7. (24)  Parker Retzlaff, Chevrolet, 100.<\/p>\n

                  8. (29)  Leland Honeyman, Chevrolet, 100.<\/p>\n

                  9. (11)  Sammy Smith (P), Chevrolet, 100.<\/p>\n

                  10. (1)  Jesse Love (P), Chevrolet, 100.<\/p>\n

                  11. (28)  Nick Leitz, Chevrolet, 100.<\/p>\n

                  12. (33)  Garrett Smithley, Chevrolet, 100.<\/p>\n

                  13. (30)  Harrison Burton, Ford, 100.<\/p>\n

                  14. (31)  Josh Williams, Chevrolet, 100.<\/p>\n

                  15. (35)  Kyle Sieg, Ford, 100.<\/p>\n

                  16. (36)  Joey Gase, Chevrolet, 100.<\/span><\/p>\n

                  17. (6)  Jeb Burton, Chevrolet, 100.<\/span><\/p>\n

                  18. (32)  David Starr, Chevrolet, 100.<\/span><\/p>\n

                  19. (34)  Brennan Poole, Chevrolet, 100.<\/span><\/p>\n

                  20. (20)  Nick Sanchez #, Chevrolet, 100.<\/span><\/p>\n

                  21. (37)  Carson Ware, Chevrolet, 100.<\/span><\/p>\n

                  22. (19)  Mason Maggio, Chevrolet, 99.<\/span><\/p>\n

                  23. (7)  Connor Zilisch # (P), Chevrolet, 97.<\/span><\/p>\n

                  24. (9)  Aric Almirola (P), Toyota, Accident, 92.<\/span><\/p>\n

                  25. (15)  Daniel Dye #, Chevrolet, Accident, 92.<\/span><\/p>\n

                  26. (10)  Brandon Jones (P), Toyota, 84.<\/span><\/p>\n

                  27. (22)  Ryan Ellis, Chevrolet, Radiator, 49.<\/span><\/p>\n

                 28. (18)  Connor Mosack(i), Chevrolet, Accident, 44.<\/p>\n

                  29. (17)  Dean Thompson #, Toyota, Accident, 44.<\/p>\n

                  30. (2)  William Sawalich #, Toyota, Accident, 44.<\/p>\n

                  31. (38)  Taylor Gray #, Toyota, Rear Gear, 41.<\/p>\n

                  32. (26)  Jordan Anderson, Chevrolet, Accident, 19.<\/p>\n

                  33. (27)  Anthony Alfredo, Chevrolet, Accident, 17.<\/p>\n

                  34. (16)  Sheldon Creed (P), Ford, Accident, 15.<\/p>\n

                  35. (23)  Ryan Sieg, Ford, Accident, 15.<\/p>\n

                  36. (12)  Brenden Queen, Chevrolet, Accident, 15.<\/p>\n

                  37. (21)  Jeremy Clements, Chevrolet, Accident, 15.<\/p>\n

                  38. (13)  Sam Mayer (P), Ford, DVP, 15.<\/p>\n

Average Speed of Race Winner:  131.322 mph.<\/p>\n

Time of Race:  2 Hrs, 1 Mins, 32 Secs. Margin of Victory:  0.105 Seconds.<\/p>\n

Caution Flags:  5 for 22 laps.<\/p>\n

Lead Changes:  17 among 10 drivers.<\/p>\n

Lap Leaders:   W. Sawalich # 1;J. Love (P) 2-5;W. Sawalich # 6;J. Love (P) 7-14;N. Sanchez # 15-20;A. Hill (P) 21-27;D. Thompson # 28-31;J. Love (P) 32;C. Zilisch # (P) 33;J. Love (P) 34-39;J. Allgaier (P) 40-49;A. Hill (P) 50-52;D. Dye # 53-56;A. Almirola (P) 57-60;H. Burton 61;J. Allgaier (P) 62;A. Hill (P) 63-100.<\/p>\n

Leaders Summary (Driver, Times Lead, Laps Led):  Austin Hill (P) 3 times for 48 laps; Jesse Love (P) 4 times for 19 laps; Justin Allgaier (P) 2 times for 11 laps; Nick Sanchez # 1 time for 6 laps; Dean Thompson # 1 time for 4 laps; Aric Almirola (P) 1 time for 4 laps; Daniel Dye # 1 time for 4 laps; William Sawalich # 2 times for 2 laps; Harrison Burton 1 time for 1 lap; Connor Zilisch # (P) 1 time for 1 lap.<\/p>\n

Stage #1 Top Ten: 21,7,2,88,19,8,31,26,1,18<\/p>\n

Stage #2 Top Ten: 21,7,1,16,48,2,19,8,10,27<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By Holly Cain, NASCAR Wire Service TALLADEGA, Ala. \u2013 Once again, Richard Childress Racing\u2019s Austin Hill proved himself the driver to beat on NASCAR\u2019s big drafting-style tracks, the veteran holding off the field on a dramatic overtime restart with two laps remaining at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway to earn the victory in Saturday\u2019s United Rentals 250. […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":676,"featured_media":55309,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ngg_post_thumbnail":0,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[11],"tags":[679,16,181,208],"class_list":["post-55302","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-nascar","tag-austin-hill","tag-nascar","tag-nascar-xfinity-series","tag-talladega-superspeedway"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/racedaysa.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/GettyImages-2241893026-scaled.jpg?fit=2560%2C1755&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p7hzTZ-enY","jetpack-related-posts":[],"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/55302","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/676"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=55302"}],"version-history":[{"count":8,"href":"https:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/55302\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":55320,"href":"https:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/55302\/revisions\/55320"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/55309"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=55302"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=55302"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=55302"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}