Chaos. That’s the only word that captures what went down at Martinsville Speedway. Austin Hill, driving the No. 21 Chevrolet for Richard Childress Racing (RCR), somehow emerged from the wreckage with a victory that felt more like a survival story than a triumph. It was RCR’s 100th Xfinity Series win, a milestone that should’ve been pure joy, but the way it happened left a bitter taste for many. Hill didn’t just win; he clawed his way through a mess of crumpled cars and bruised egos, securing not only the checkered flag but also a $100,000 Dash 4 Cash bonus.

The race was a demolition derby disguised as NASCAR. Fifteen cautions underscored the US Marine Corps 250, with the final lap turning into a full-on brawl. Taylor Gray and Sammy Smith, battling for the lead, traded paint and pride until Smith’s desperate dive into Gray’s rear bumper sent both spinning.

Hill himself admitted the race was a grind. Strategy was key, and he had to dig deep. Hill wasn’t proud of how it ended, but he wasn’t apologizing either. After all, this was RCR’s moment, a historic notch on their belt after a season of ups and downs.

Here’s how he summed it up post-race: “You know, on the restart, I was kind of torn, do I want to choose the outside lane, which the outside lane didn’t work for me very well to run the restart before, so I decided to go to the bottom and restart seventh because I knew that they were going to get rough and rowdy and everybody’s horns were out and everybody had a lot of elbow grease just trying to get the job done. And coming off at two on the wide, I kind of drove into three just wanting to stay close enough to the seven. The seven kind of got in the 54 and then I got in the seven a little bit, got on the apron and then they kind of got hung up with each other and we were able to come on home with a victory.”

As it stood, Hill wasn’t going to win the race going into the final lap. He was in seventh position, with Taylor Gray and Sammy Smith in a tense battle for the lead. Gray looked like he was the man to beat, taking the lead and showing he could hold it. When making a final blow to seal in his victory, Smith hit Gray from the back, leaving the No. 54 of Gray spinning and tumbling down the order. But it was the perfect time for another driver. Justin Allgaier got caught in the crossfire, and as the leaders stumbled, Hill saw his chance.

Starting the white flag lap in sixth, he darted low, scraped the apron, and crossed the line 0.190 seconds ahead of Sheldon Creed. It was his second win of the 2025 season, but it didn’t feel clean, especially against Gray, a driver who cruised all race.

“I hated this place because of all the beatin’ and bangin’.” Gray, finishing 29th, was gutted, “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 as it’s the same story. It sucks, but it is what it is. Long year.” Gray had suffered a similar fate in a NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series loss to Christian Eckes last year. Hill, on the other hand, had just struck gold for RCR.

So, super cool to win RCR’s 100th win, it’s something that after Atlanta, all of us in the shop talked about. The two wanted to get it done, we wanted to get it done, there’s a little bit of rivalry inside of RCR’s camp, but to be able to get it done was really special and then to top it off, to get the $100,000 from Xfinity, thanks for everything that Xfinity does for us for this sport, for NASCAR, so we’re going to soak this one in. It was not easy, had to have a…a little bit of elbow grease there at the end. You don’t always like to race that way, but when everybody else is leaning on everyone, you kind of feel like it’s green light from there,” added Hill further.

RCR’s win list tells a bigger story. Their Cup Series nightmare has continued and in a time like this, Hill’s win is a respite. “I know everyone is going be mad and upset at me and say I’m a dirty driver, but I don’t care because everybody does it. If I was just going to accept it and finish second that wasn’t going to sit well with me.” Smith said. For Hill, though, it was redemption after Martinsville knocked him out of the Championship 4 two years ago. This time, the track gave back as dirty, messy, and unforgettable.

Jesse Love’s Big Break at Bristol with RCR

Austin Hill’s been grinding in the NASCAR Cup Series, and 2025’s giving him a bigger shot with Richard Childress Racing (RCR). He’s set for five races in the No. 33 United Rentals Chevrolet, starting April 6 at Darlington’s tricky 1.366-mile oval—a track that tests every ounce of a driver’s nerve. Then it’s the wild Chicago Street Course on July 6, weaving through city streets for 165 unpredictable miles. At the same time, his RCR teammate Jesse Love has big things coming up.

Now, let’s talk Jesse Love. At 20, this California kid’s living his dream, debuting in the Cup Series at Bristol. “Racing in the Cup Series has always been my main goal and dream,” Love said. “Everything that I have done up to this point in my career has been building to this moment. To make my Cup Series debut at this age is very special, and I’m grateful for the opportunity to make it with RCR. Everyone has welcomed me with open arms over the last year and the organization feels like family.” That’s raw emotion right there—he knows this is huge.

Richard Childress isn’t holding back either. “I’m excited to have Jesse make his Cup Series debut in the No. 33 Chevrolet,” he said. “From the moment I started watching Jesse race, I knew that he had the talent. He has the passion for wanting to win and doing the best possible for his team. To be a great driver, you have to have passion behind the wheel and Jesse has that.”

Love’s already proven it with two Xfinity wins, an ARCA title in 2023, and third in the 2025 Xfinity standings so far. Bristol’s his chance to show the Cup world he’s arrived. This ain’t just a race; it’s his heart on the line.