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Austin Hill nearly wrecks but still wins Atlanta Xfinity race

Austin Hill nearly wrecks but still wins Atlanta Xfinity race


Hill, who dominated much of the race even though it was marred by a record 12 cautions, led the way on the final restart with two of 163 laps remaining.

Hill, driving the No. 21 Chevrolet for Richard Childress Racing, quickly cleared for the lead after the restart. Coming off Turn 4 on the final lap, however, Daniel Hemric got into the back of Parker Kligerman, who ran into Hill.

Hill’s No. 21 wobbled but he hung on to the car to take the checkered flag by 0.085 seconds over Hemric as several other cars wrecked behind them.

The win is Hill’s third in five races this season and the fifth of his career.

 

“It’s special, just having my while family here and growing up in Georgia, an hour down the road and growing up racing on this little ¼-mile race track,” Hill said after celebrating with his family on the frontstretch of the track. “I knew it was going to be tough today. I knew guys could get really good runs.

“Once I got to the lead I knew it was wreckers or checkers. When (Kligerman) hit me in the right-rear – I’m guessing he got hit or something – I thought I was headed to the outside wall. But I was able to gather it up and bring it on home.

“This is so special. It was a tough one to win.”

Ryan Truex ended up third, Kligerman fourth and Riley Herbst rounded out the top-five.

Completing the top-10 were Brett Moffitt, Josh Berry, John Hunter Nemechek, Sam Mayer and Justin Haley.

Stage 3

Following the caution between Stages 2 and 3, all the lead-lap cars pit with Herbst the first off pit road. Sammy Smith had to restart from the rear of the field for removing equipment during his pit stop.

On the restart on Lap 87, Herbst was followed by Moffitt, Kligerman, Hemric and Mayer.

Hill returned to the lead on Lap 93 as Sheldon Creed moved into second.

Patrick Emerling wrecked in Turn 2 on Lap 117 to bring out the 10th caution of the race.

Most of the lead-lap cars elected to pit with Hemric first off pit road. Hill remained on the track and in the lead when the race returned to green on Lap 124.

With 30 laps remaining, Hill remained out front followed by Herbst and Truex.

Hill furiously worked to block both lanes as he maintained his lock on the lead with 15 laps remaining.

Parker Retzlaff hit the wall hard off Turn 4 on Lap 155 which brought out a record-setting 11th caution of the race.

 

A handful of cars pit under the caution. When the race resumed with two laps to go, Hill led the way followed by…

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