Austin Hill suffered a significant setback to his NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts Series championship hopes during Saturday's The Progress Group 250 at Talladega Superspeedway. The Richard Childress Racing driver started fifth and finished 35th after encountering multiple problems.
Hill initially demonstrated competitive speed, battling near the front throughout the opening stages. His No. 21 Chevrolet remained among the leading contenders during Stage 2, where he finished fourth and collected seven valuable points. However, Hill's afternoon changed dramatically on Lap 57 when contact involving Harrison Burton and Taylor Gray triggered a multicar accident.
Hill was among the drivers collected, sustaining damage that affected his performance during
the remaining laps. Although he continued competing, his afternoon became even more difficult on Lap 83 when a flat right-front tire caused him to lose speed and strike the outside wall. The additional damage forced Hill to fall multiple laps behind the leaders. He ultimately completed 92 laps and finished 35th, earning nine points.
The disappointing result dropped Hill to ninth in the NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts Series Chase standings with 2,233 points. He now trails championship leader Jesse Love by 168 markers, mathematically eliminating him from title contention.
Hill will attempt to rebound at Martinsville and Homestead-Miami.
This article originally appeared on Motorsports Wire: Austin Hill eliminated from O'Reilly championship contention in 2026
