Austin Hill continues to prove that he is the master when it comes to drafting-style tracks in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, and on Saturday, notes were being taken because the class was in session.
A native of Winston, Georgia, Hill continued to use his home-field advantage to dominate Saturday’s NASCAR Xfinity Series RAPTOR King of Tough 250 at Atlanta Motor Speedway, scoring his second win in three starts at the newly reconfigured facility.
Leading a race-high 103 laps, Hill was able to dominate the latter portion of Saturday’s NASCAR Xfinity Series contest – the portion where green-flag runs lasted more than 10 laps – and held the lead for the final 64 laps, despite a spirited challenge from Parker Kligerman.
That challenge came on the final lap of the race, just after a green-white-checkered finish, where Kligerman darted to the outside lane entered turn three, and successfully got to the outside of the Richard Childress Racing driver.
However, exiting the final corner of the race, Kligerman got hooked by Daniel Hemric, shoving the No. 48 into the race’s eventual winner, and sending the Big Machine Racing entry sideways, before getting spun in front of the pack. The crash collected Kligerman, as well as Riley Herbst, Brennan Poole, and Justin Haley.
Daniel Hemric emerged from the accident undamaged and with a runner-up result, while Ryan Truex celebrated his birthday with a second consecutive finish inside the top three, coming home in third.
While crashing, both Parker Kligerman and Riley Herbst managed to collect top-five results. Brett Moffitt, Josh Berry, John Hunter Nemechek, Sam Mayer, and Justin Haley completed the top-10.
The race’s crazy nature, a total of 12 cautions, five of which happened during the race’s first stage, provided some good stories and solid finishes for some teams in dire need of a good result like Brennan Poole (13th), Anthony Alfredo (14th), Patrick Emerling (18th), Gray Gaulding (20th), and Blaine Perkins (22nd).
Leaving Atlanta, the NASCAR Xfinity Series will join the NASCAR Cup Series and NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series at Circuit of The Americas in Austin, Texas, for the sixth race of its season, and the first on a road course.
After five events, Austin Hill has a whopping 46-point lead on a tie for second place between John Hunter Nemechek and Riley Herbst. Chandler Smith and Justin Allgaier round out the top-five in points.
