Hill wins 3rd Xfinity Daytona race in row
DAYTONA BEACH — No matter how long NASCAR put the Xfinity Series United Rentals 300 off, a point was proven late Monday night.
When it comes to Daytona International Speedway and the February race, Austin Hill is inevitable.
And even damage to the car, involvement in an early crash and a flat tire couldn't derail the train as Hill executed a late-race pass on Jordan Anderson and held the field off over the final two laps to claim his third straight win in the event.
“It tops it all,” Hill exclaimed. “Threepeat, do you know how hard it is to win at Daytona? God almighty.
“I don't even know what time it is, I know it's past my bedtime, but we're about to party tonight, I'll tell you that.”
The race, originally scheduled for a 5 p.m. green flag on Saturday, was pushed to 11 a.m. Monday as rain persisted throughout the weekend in Daytona Beach. Yet, the outlook was no better on Monday morning and with the Daytona 500 scheduled for a 4 p.m. start, NASCAR made the call to move the event to 9 p.m., after the conclusion of the Great American Race.
"This first race of the season has treated me well," Hill said. "To win here, the first race out, says a lot. And to do a three-peat like we did, I don't think people understand how hard that is to do at Daytona. "I'm cherishing every moment of it." After William Byron claimed a win in the 66th Daytona 500, the Xfinity Series took to the track and battled through a caution-filled affair that finished with a final mad dash. Hill and former teammate Sheldon Creed escaped a fracas on the backstretch of the final lap involving most of the remaining cars on the track, but Hill had gapped Creed by several car links and coasted to the line and victory.
Parker Retzlaff finished third with Anderson and Chandler Smith rounding out the top five.
Monday night's race was also notable for several other drivers.
Hailie Deegan made her first start as an Xfinity full-timer but it was short lived as she was collected in the first crash of the night after Daniel Suarez was tagged and spun on Lap 22.
Frankie Muniz, the former sitcom start from the hit show, “Malcolm in the Middle” was making his first Xfinity start after a fulltime ARCA Menards season in 2023. He didn't make it much further than Deegan, bowing out after major contact on Lap 37 in a crash that also involved Hill.
Shane van Gisbergen, also making his Xfinity Series debut for Kaulig Racing, fared a little better, battling through a few scrapes to finish 12th. SVG, the winner of the inaugural Chicago Street Race in 2023, will drive a full Xfinity Season and also took part in Friday night's ARCA race but was caught in a wreck early.