MARTINSVILLE, Va. — Austin Hill went from fifth to first on the final corner when the leaders wrecked to win Saturday’s NASCAR Xfinity Series race and give Richard Childress Racing it’s 100th series victory.
“When I saw the checkered flag, I was in disbelief,” Hill said.
Hill also earned the $100,000 Dash 4 Cash bonus.
Hill wouldn’t have had the chance to score his 12th career Xfinity victory and second of the season without the last-lap drama between Sammy Smith and Taylor Gray.
Smith ran into the back of Gray’s car entering Turn 3, turning Gray and triggering a multi-car crash. The move came after Gray moved Smith up the track and out of the lead on the overtime restart.
The two drivers had to be separated from each other outside the infield care center after the race.
“I’m not very proud of what I did,” Smith said after exiting the infield care center. “He just has no respect for me and he was flipping me off under the red flag and swerving at my door. I moved him into (Turn) 1. He still had the lead those two restarts.
“Going down the backstraightaway (on the final lap), I thought to myself what would he do in this situation? He would have done the exact same thing. He was flipping me off and that right there was the line for me to ultimately make the decision I made.
“If I just let him go, I accept I finish second today. I try to do my best for my team and myself to win a (Martinsville grandfather) clock. It just wasn’t good enough.”
Asked if there was anything constructive said by Gray afterward, Smith said: “No. He said he wants to go at it. We can go at it if he wants. I think at the end of the day, there’s probably going to be a lot more going forward and that’s OK with me.”
Said Gray after the race: “I feel like we had the best car all day. I can’t thank everyone at Joe Gibbs Racing enough. We brought a really fast Operation 300 Toyota GR Supra. Just unfortunate – it’s the same story I’ve lived here for the past two Martinsville race in a row. It sucks, but it is what it is. Long year.”
Stage 1 winner: Connor Zilisch
Stage 2 winner: Connor Zilisch
Next: The series races 3:30 p.m. ET Saturday, April 5 at Darlington Raceway on the CW Network.
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