Austin Hill scores statement win with Hattori Racing
Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images
DAYTONA BEACH, FL -- After 52 starts in the Gander Outdoors Truck Series, Austin Hill finally scored his first-career win in a wild race at Daytona International Speedway on Friday night.
Hill started 10th but after a record-setting 11 cautions, only nine trucks remained to decide the 277.5-mile-contest—the longest race in truck series history at Daytona.
The 24-year-old Winston, Ga.-native, who took over the defending championship No. 16 Hattori Racing truck from Brett Moffitt after last season, held off his competitors over the final 13 laps. He beat Grant Enfinger to the finish line by .278-seconds.
“Man, this truck was fast, it really was. I knew we had a truck that could compete,” Hill said in Victory Lane. “I got a little scared there at the end. I thought (Enfinger) was going to get me, he had a big run.
“I can’t believe my first win came at Daytona. It’s so surreal. I can’t wait to part with these guys.”
Ross Chastain finished third followed by Spencer Boyd, Matt Crafton, Josh Reaume, Timothy Peters, Angela Ruch and Austin Wayne Self. The fourth, sixth and eighth-place finishes for Boyd, Reaume and Ruch, respectively, were career best results.
The fireworks began early in the race with Natalie Decker telling her crew she had a flat tire, then entered the pits with her truck on fire. As the No. 54 DGR Crosley crew worked on her truck, owner/teammate David Gilliland also pitted with a flat. But it was the No. 28 Chevy of Bryan Dauzat that slid down pit road san brakes—and ran into jackman Billy Rock. The safety crew carried Rock off of pit road on a stretcher.
The race resumed on Lap 8 with rookie Sheldon Creed in the lead followed by series defending champion Brett Moffitt, polesitter Christian Eckes, Grant Enfinger, Austin Wayne Self, Austin Hill, Chris Fontaine, Todd Gilliland, Stewart Friesen and Matt Crafton. Creed continued at the point for the stage win.
Sauter took the lead when the field pit before Stage 2. Moffitt restarted second on Lap 27 with Enfinger, Creed, Todd Gillilland, Friesen, David Gilliland, Ben Rhodes, Crafton, Eckes and Myatt Snyder in tow.
The third caution was triggered two laps later when Tyler Dippel lost control of his truck in Turn 3 and collected Chris Fontaine and Ray Ciccarelli. Moffitt, who had Creed behind for the restart, was cited by officials for locking bumpers on Lap 33. The drivers served a drive-thru penalty.
The stage remained green to its conclusion on Lap 40 with Sauter picking up the Stage 2 win followed by Friesen, Ben Rhodes, David Gilliland, Boyd, Enfinger, Snider, Todd Gilliland, Burton and Self.
What was scheduled for a 50-lap third and final caution ran for 61 circuits mired by seven yellow flags. David Gilliland led the field to green with Burton alongside. Eight laps later, 12 cars were involved in an accident in Turn 4 triggered by Jordan Anderson tagging Creed. Eighteen trucks remained by the Lap 63 restart but the race did not remain green for long. Eckes’ truck caught fire and Johnny Sauter, who had revived his No. 13 ride at ThorSport was forced to the garage.
Hill had established himself as a frontrunner. He went on to lead 25 laps before a battle ensued with Rhodes on Lap 87. Although the No. 99 truck took the lead and held the point for 10 laps, Rhodes was collected in the second multi-truck wreck, when Creed turned Gus Dean on the backstretch coming to the white flag.
“We pitted really early and we already knew it was going to be close and then then when we went overtime, I was so scared,” Hill said as the race went into the first of two overtimes. “I just knew I was going to run out off (Turn) 4 and not make it to the line.
“So much stuff was going through my head, but, hey, we’re in Victory Lane.”
Hill maintained the points lead for team owner Shigeaki Hattori—the No. 16 trucks third consecutive win. Enfinger trails by three points.
“To win the first race with Hattori Racing, I think this builds a lot of momentum,” Hill said.
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