In the midst of rising tensions within the NASCAR community, an outspoken insider has taken a bold stance by rejecting Richard Childress’s driver’s outcry. Austin Hill, who pilots the No. 21 car, was understandably frustrated with Kaulig Racing after a highly controversial Xfinity Series race at Atlanta Motor Speedway.
Now, amidst the ongoing debate, NASCAR Insider Brett Griffin has provided his stance as he shut down Hill’s opinion during the recent episode of Door, Bumper, Clear.
Griffin sides with Austin over the “alliances” debate
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Griffin started by acknowledging Hill’s disappointment, saying, “Look man, Austin Hill has been the guy to be, Freddy’s right, he only led one lap this past weekend in Atlanta, and I thought on television that Chandler Smith and the 21-year-old Austin Hill had the two fastest cars.”
But in a turn of events, Griffin rejected Hill’s claim as he justified the dynamics by saying, “If I’m driving if I’m running a team I wanna get rid of the fastest guy out there now.“
He also acknowledged Hill’s justified frustration with the lack of support he received from other drivers during the race. “I think Austin is rightfully upset. He kept saying, ‘I just wanted to get the lead.’ There were 30 other guys out there, but yeah,” Griffin remarked.
Further, Griffin’s comment sheds light on the intricate relationships and dynamics between racing teams and their affiliates. It hinted at the underlying tensions that arise when drivers within the same alliance find themselves competing fiercely against each other on the track.
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Austin Hill’s disappointing day at Atlanta Speedway
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Austin Hill, known for his exceptional superspeedway racing skills in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, was visibly disappointed after the Alsco Uniforms 250 at Atlanta Motor Speedway. As the race neared its conclusion, Hill was left to battle against three Kaulig Racing teammates, while the rest of the field seemed content with securing a solid top-five or top-ten finish.
Hill expressed his frustration with other drivers who appeared reluctant to make moves or assist him in advancing forward, saying, “It sucks because we still had a shot at winning the race. We just needed somebody to go with us. Everybody just wanted to fall in line and follow the leader. I guess they were just going to let the three Kaulig cars finish 1-2-3. Everybody is just too scared to pull out of line. So, it’s pretty pathetic that nobody wants to go out and race. They just want to sit there and follow each other. Pretty lame to me.”
Hill’s battle against the Kaulig Racing cars became even more challenging when he was spun out by Parker Kligerman’s No. 48 Big Machine Racing car on Lap 162.
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Moreover, following the race, Hill lamented RCR’s alliance with Kaulig Racing: “I mean, it’s whatever. It is what it is. We have an alliance with Kaulig. We have an alliance with the 48. But for whatever reason — I don’t know if they’re bitter that I outrun them on the superspeedways or what it is, but they do all they can to screw me and they definitely did it tonight.”
Austin Hill’s frustration highlights the growing tensions between Richard Childress Racing (RCR) and their alliance teams, namely Kaulig Racing and Big Machine Racing. RCR provides significant support, including data, engines, and other resources, to enhance the performance of its alliance teams. However, Hill feels that his “teammates” from the alliances consistently hinder his progress on the track.
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As tensions continue to rise, it remains to be seen how these issues will impact future races and the relationships between teams in the NASCAR Xfinity Series.
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