Austin Hill Clinches Victory in Nail-Biting Ag-Pro 300 at Talladega
Talladega, AL – Austin Hill of Richard Childress Racing secured a dramatic victory in the Ag-Pro 300 NASCAR Xfinity Series, narrowly edging out teammate Jesse Love and Jeb Burton in a thrilling three-wide finish. The decisive moment came shortly after a late caution was triggered when Love collided with the race leader, Connor Zilisch, on the final lap.
As the checkered and caution flags flew simultaneously, Hill’s No. 21 Chevy crossed the line just ahead of Burton’s No. 27, earning him his ninth career superspeedway victory—making him the Xfinity Series’ all-time winningest driver on drafting tracks, surpassing legends Tony Stewart and Dale Earnhardt.
"Man, we really had to work for that one," said Hill, who now boasts three victories this season and 13 overall. "Our car was really good. I just locked in and kept pushing. I knew it was either me or the No. 27.”
Burton, despite his previous success at Talladega, expressed frustration post-race, feeling he was the true leader when the caution was called. "I felt like we did everything we could today, so just frustrated. Every angle I see, we won the race," he stated.
Jesse Love led for 50 of the event’s 113 laps but also reflected on the chaotic finish, acknowledging the unfortunate incident with Zilisch. "I’m pretty sure I wrecked my best friend. I’m going to owe him an apology," he said.
Justin Allgaier, the reigning champion, finished fourth, maintaining a 79-point lead over Hill in the standings. Matt DiBenedetto rounded out the top five, while rookie Connor Zilisch was classified 27th following his late-race incident.
Notably, Katherine Legge made history as the fourth woman to lead an Xfinity Series race, matching Danica Patrick’s achievement by leading lap 75. Unfortunately, her promising day ended prematurely due to an accident on lap 100.
The series now heads to Texas Motor Speedway for the Andy’s Frozen Custard 300, where Haas Factory Team driver Sam Mayer is set to defend his title.
Results Summary:
- Austin Hill (RCR)
- Jeb Burton (Jordan Anderson Racing)
- Jesse Love (RCR)
- Justin Allgaier (JR Motorsports)
- Matt DiBenedetto (Viking Motorsports)
Upcoming Event:
Texas Motor Speedway
Event: Andy’s Frozen Custard 300
Date/Time: Next Saturday, 2 p.m. ET
Broadcast: The CW Network, PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio
