Xfinity Series driver Austin Hill returned from his one-race suspension on Saturday for the race at Watkins Glen International. Unsurprisingly, the driver of the No. 21 car was involved
Xfinity Series driver Austin Hill returned from his one-race suspension on Saturday for the race at Watkins Glen International. Unsurprisingly, the driver of the No. 21 car was involved in what will likely be the biggest wreck in NASCAR this weekend.
With 9 laps to go in the final stage, Hill and Cup driver Michael McDowell came around the corner and approached the wall. With Hill on the verge of running into the wall, he turned his car and hooked McDowell’s rear. That immediately caused McDowell’s No. 11 car to spin and crash directly into the wall.
Related: Austin Hill Doubles Down on Defense for Indianapolis Incident
- Austin Hill stats (Xfinity Series): 650 points, 3 wins, 12 top 10s, 9 top 5s, 3 DNFs, 287 laps led, 9.048 average starting position, 13.095 average finishing position
MASSIVE CRASH! 😳
— Motorsport.com (@Motorsport) August 9, 2025
Austin Hill gets into Michael McDowell and it’s a huge pileup behind them! #NASCAR
🎥 : @TheCW_Sportspic.twitter.com/LsXG424jk0
The No. 11 bounced off the wall and then slid to the other side and took another hit from Hill. While the No. 21 car survived the collision, the crash also took out drivers Taylor Gray, Jesse Love, Ryan Sieg, William Sawalich, Dean Thompson, and other drivers.
“What the heck is that guy doing? I mean why would he do that? … He hooked me.”
Michael McDowell on the radio after contact with Austin Hill (via Dustin Long)
NASCAR brought out the red flag, pausing the race as medical crews attended to all the drivers injured in the crash and then removed the cars from the track.
Ahead of the final restart, Connor Zilisch’s crew chief, Mardy Lindley, told the broadcast that the team now had to be cautious around Hill on the restart. Multiple drivers also voiced their frustration with Hill’s driving on the radio.
Related: NASCAR standings, see where Austin Hill sits in playoff standings
NASCAR’s one-race suspension of Hill, for what it deemed to be the intentional wrecking of Justin Allgaier at Indianapolis Motor Speedway two weeks ago, also resulted in him forfeiting all 21 of his playoff points. Under NASCAR rules, while he was granted a waiver for playoff eligibility, Hill can’t earn any playoff points for the remainder of the regular season.
“As soon as I saw that he was getting tight to the grass, I should have lifted. That one was definitely on me…Destroyed a lot of race cars, really unfortunate.”
Austin Hill to the CW Network on the incident with Michael McDowell
The CW Network spoke to Hill over the radio after the crash. Hill said that McDowell had been ‘struggling a bit” ahead of him in the carousel. He thought he could get ahead of him, but wasn’t able to. In hindsight, he admits he should’ve just gotten behind him and the wreck isn’t what he wanted to happen, but it was simply an accident.
NASCAR World Reacts to Austin Hill’s Latest Wreck
Immediately following the crash, NASCAR drivers, fans, and analysts wasted little time calling Hill out for his reckless driving and raising the point that he’s a danger on the track for all other drivers. We’ll find out next week whether or not NASCAR feels Hill’s actions warrant another suspension.
Austin Hill ladies and gentlemen.
— Eric Estepp (@EricEstepp17) August 9, 2025
Garbage.
Hope everyone is alright.
No one could ever make me like Austin Hill.
— Karsyn Elledge (@KarsynElledge3) August 9, 2025
Austin Hill racing with *nothing* to lose at Daytona feels like a disaster waiting to happen…
— Austin Konenski (@AustinKonenski) August 9, 2025
Austin Hill pic.twitter.com/hNiDvvzOKI
— Michael Cosey Jr. (@windVOW8820) August 9, 2025
I don’t think Austin Hill did that on purpose… Buuuuut he’s putting officials in a really tough spot.
— Mamba Smith (@MambaSmith34) August 9, 2025
Welcome back, Austin Hill.
— Jeff Gluck (@jeff_gluck) August 9, 2025
Austin Hill after getting suspended for trying to kill somebody: pic.twitter.com/K9rjQ28pnX
— Connor Hudson (@EllyProductions) August 9, 2025
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Category: General Sports
