With a smart strategy and solid performance on the track, Austin Hill secured his second consecutive victory in the NASCAR Xfinity Series at Atlanta Motor Speedway last Saturday. The race was marked by intense moments, especially when several competitors ran out of fuel, opening the door for Hill to capitalize on his opportunity and cross the finish line in first place.
His teammate at Richard Childress Racing, rookie Jesse Love, had dominated much of the race, leading 157 laps and winning all stages of the competition. However, just when it seemed he was on his way to victory, he ran out of fuel while leading the pack in NASCAR Overtime. This situation opened the door for Hill, who restarted in third place on the outside, to seize the moment and claim the victory, maintaining his unbeaten streak in two Xfinity races in 2024.
The end of the race was marked by fuel shortages, with several Ford cars running out of gas almost simultaneously just three laps from the end in regulation. Drivers like Riley Herbst and Cole Custer from Stewart-Haas Racing, who were in second and seventh positions respectively, were forced to abandon the contest due to lack of fuel in their tanks. Ryan Sieg, another competitor in a Ford, also had to stop on the track due to fuel shortage, leading to a caution period that extended the race beyond its scheduled distance.
Despite the challenges on the track, there were standout performances from other drivers. Chandler Smith achieved an impressive second place, closely followed by rookie Shane van Gisbergen, who secured his best result in his career so far. Sheldon Creed and Parker Retzlaff rounded out the top five positions in the final standings.
The rest of the top 10 included Jeremy Clements, Anthony Alfredo, Jeffrey Earnhardt, Ryan Truex, and Sammy Smith. Despite his strong performance for much of the race, Love had to settle for the 12th position after running out of fuel in the final stages of the competition.
| Pos | # | Driver | Brand | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 21 | Austin Hill | Chevrolet | |
| 2 | 81 | Chandler Smith | Toyota | |
| 3 | 97 | Shane Van Gisbergen | Chevrolet | |
| 4 | 18 | Sheldon Creed | Toyota | |
| 5 | 31 | Parker Retzlaff | Chevrolet | |
| 6 | 51 | Jeremy Clements | Chevrolet | |
| 7 | 5 | Anthony Alfredo | Chevrolet | |
| 8 | 26 | Jeffrey Earnhardt | Toyota | |
| 9 | 19 | Ryan Truex | Toyota | |
| 10 | 8 | Sammy Smith | Chevrolet | |
| 11 | 1 | Sam Mayer | Chevrolet | |
| 12 | 2 | Jesse Love | Chevrolet | |
| 13 | 16 | AJ Allmendinger | Chevrolet | |
| 14 | 9 | Brandon Jones | Chevrolet | |
| 15 | 98 | Riley Herbst | Ford | |
| 16 | 00 | Cole Custer | Ford | |
| 17 | 91 | Kyle Weatherman | Chevrolet | |
| 18 | 78 | BJ McLeod | Chevrolet | |
| 19 | 48 | Parker Kligerman | Chevrolet | |
| 20 | 44 | Brennan Poole | Chevrolet | |
| 21 | 42 | Leland Honeyman | Chevrolet | |
| 22 | 39 | Ryan Sieg | Ford | |
| 23 | 27 | Jeb Burton | Chevrolet | |
| 24 | 14 | JJ Yeley | Chevrolet | |
| 25 | 43 | Ryan Ellis | Chevrolet | |
| 26 | 92 | Nick Leitz(i) | Chevrolet | |
| 27 | 15 | Hailie Deegan # | Ford | |
| 28 | 7 | Justin Allgaier | Chevrolet | |
| 29 | 35 | Joey Gase | Chevrolet | |
| 30 | 29 | Blaine Perkins | Ford | |
| 31 | 4 | Dawson Cram # | Chevrolet | |
| 32 | 20 | John Hunter Nemechek(i) | Toyota | |
| 33 | 07 | Patrick Emerling | Chevrolet | |
| 34 | 6 | Garrett Smithley | Chevrolet | |
| 35 | 38 | CJ McLaughlin | Ford | |
| 36 | 28 | Kyle Sieg | Chevrolet | |
| 37 | 11 | Josh Williams | Chevrolet | |
| 38 | 32 | Jordan Anderson | Chevrolet |
