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 & 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 partner.
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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 clawed 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 0.216-second margin, 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] 1, 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% 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.
MORE: Xfinity Series standings
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’s 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 front-runners.
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 one-point lead over Haas Factory Team driver Sheldon Creed, who was eliminated from a top-10 finish in that multicar 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, March 1 in the Focused Health 250 (2:30 p.m. ET on The CW, PRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio) at the Circuit of The Americas road course.
Contributing: Staff reports
NOTE: Post-race inspection was completed without issue, confirming Hill as the race winner. The Nos. 00 and 48 cars were both found with one lug nut not secure, which will result in a monetary fine to the respective teams.