NASCAR suspends Austin Hill for one Xfinity Series race for intentional crash

NASCAR suspended driver Austin Hill for one race this week for intentionally wrecking another driver’s car in a race last weekend.

NASCAR also stripped Hill of his 21 playoff points.

Hill and Aric Almirola were in the 91st of 100 laps at the Pennzoil 250 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Saturday when Almirola nudged Hill’s No. 21 Chevy with his No. 19 Toyota, NASCAR said. Hill responded by hitting Almirola’s right rear fender, causing Amirola to sharply turn and hit a retaining wall. 

Almirola called the contact “definitely intentional,” Meanwhile, Hill, who declined to comment post-race, reportedly told members of his team over radio that Almirola’s initial bump left him struggling to regain control of his car before the wreck.

During the race, officials held Hill for five laps for rough driving. After further review post-race, NASCAR decided to suspend Hill from the next race in its Xfinity Series, the Hy-Vee Perks 250 at Iowa Speedway on Saturday. 

NASCAR also stripped Hill of 21 playoff points he accrued through other races so far this season. Regular-season race winners get five points for each win, and the winners of each stage of a given race get one point. Hill is tied for second-most race wins in the Xfinity Series with three and had the third-most playoff points before his suspension. 

Hill’s case is the first time NASCAR has stripped playoff points from a driver for a suspension for on-track actions, according to Road & Track.

Playoff points are carried over from the NASCAR regular season into their first three postseason elimination rounds.

Under a new rule beginning this season, NASCAR drivers who miss a race for any reason other than the birth of a child, a medical reason, or failing to meet the age requirements of their series need a waiver to remain playoff eligible. 

Drivers with waivers forfeit all existing playoff points and do not get more playoff points from the races through the rest of the regular season.

Hill’s team, Richard Childress Racing, said on social media that they would not appeal his suspension. Austin Dillon will race in the No. 21 car at the Hy-Vee Perks 250.