DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – On debut for Richard Childress Racing, in his rookie season in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, Austin Hill earned his 1st career win in the Beef. It’s What’s for Dinner. 300 at Daytona Saturday night.
Hill won after a perfectly-timed crossover pass on A.J. Allmendinger as a large crash unfolded behind the leaders, bringing out the caution and freezing the field. The crash resulted in Myatt Snider flipping into the catchfence, ripping the engine and most of the rear end out of his Chevrolet Camaro.
For Hill, the win came in his 16th career start in Xfinity Series competition.
“I was able to drag back,” said Hill. “The 98 (Riley Herbst) gave me a heck of a push, we were able to get by (Allmendinger), and this is so crazy.”
Hill spent the last 3 seasons driving in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series for Hattori Racing Enterprises.
“I won (a NASCAR Camping World Truck Series season opener) in 2019 with a new team, now we’re with RCR, first race with them. We were able to get the job done,” said Hill. “Man, I’m speechless. (Crew chief) Andy Street, (owner) Richard Childress, just all these guys back at RCR for believing in me. It’s been a fun offseason, and now we get to go race for a championship.”
As for Allmendinger, the pass on the last lap was the 3rd time out of the last 4 Daytona races that Allmendinger lost the lead on the final lap.
“I’d have to go see the replay, study it,” Allmendinger said of losing the lead before the last-lap caution. “Kind of kept trying to block both lanes, and it looked like Austin moved up there and timed it perfect where he just got a massive shove, and I probably could have tried to really block, but I think I probably would have wrecked us if I would have done it. I’ve got to be better, sometimes, not getting too far out in the lead. I don’t know, I’ll just keep working on it, man.”
Noah Gragson finished 3rd, completing a Chevy sweep of the top 3. Riley Herbst, the highest finishing Ford, was 4th and Justin Allgaier rounded out the top 5.
Despite the horrifying nature of his flip, Myatt Snider climbed out of his car within a minute of coming to rest in the turn three grass. He had been fighting for position in the top 10 and crashed after contact with Anthony Alfredo, flipping over Jade Buford in the process.
Aside from a sore foot, Snider was uninjured in the crash.
“It’s the last lap, and everybody is trying their best to push as hard as possible,” said Snider, “and I’m trying to keep as much momentum as I can, and I felt a push, and I started to feel the car go right, and I was like, ‘I might be along for a ride here.’”
When Snider climbed out, he described the remnants of his car as a “yard sale”.
“It was violent,” said Snider. “I saw sparks going everywhere. You don’t really know what’s going on — you just know you’re going in some direction, and it’s not the right one. I was just kind of holding on, hunching over, keeping everything together as much as I could.”
Defending series champion Daniel Hemric sat on the pole and led the most laps in his Kaulig Racing debut, but was caught up in a crash at lap 91 and finished four laps down in 28th.
The NASCAR Xfinity Series will be back in action February 26th at the Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, California for the Production Alliance Group 300.