February 22, 2025 | By Holly Cain, NASCAR Wire Service

Austin Hill dominates Xfinity Series race at Atlanta

HAMPTON, Ga. — The Atlanta Motor Speedway is Austin Hill’s home track after all – and the Georgia native proved again Saturday night that he absolutely “owns it.”

Hill dominated the NASCAR Xfinity Series Bennett Transportation and Logistics 250 on the Atlanta high banks – leading 146 of the 163 laps to claim his first victory of the early 2025 season driving the No. 21 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet sponsored by the race’s title sponsor.

Hill has won four of the last six Atlanta races – the last three consecutively and five in all – including a sweep of both events last year. And although his laps led total is impressive, he really had to work for this trophy, after losing the lead briefly on a restart with three laps to go.

With a timely tap on Hill’s Chevrolet’s rear bumper from Parker Retzlaff, Hill was able to push forward and take the lead entering the first turn on the final lap. He held on to the win by a slight .216-second having to fend off reigning series champion, JR Motorsports’ Justin Allgaier and Joe Gibbs Racing’s veteran Aric Almirola – who both previously led at various times on that final restart.

“Thank you to Parker Retzlaff for giving me that push, and then once I got clear and into [turn] one I was just wide open and I was hoping they weren’t going to build up momentum,” Hill said, adding, “To be able to do this is something special.”

Hill’s five Xfinity Series wins at Atlanta ties a record set by former NASCAR Cup Series champion Kevin Harvick. His eight-win total at drafting tracks ties a series record with a pair of NASCAR Hall of Famers, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Tony Stewart.

Hill swept the two stage wins – for the second time in as many races this year giving him a 100 percent mark in 2025.

With his teammate Jesse Love winning the pole position for the race, it gives the RCR team a weekend sweep of pole and race wins for the second time – no other team has won a pole position or hoisted a trophy in 2025. It also marks the 99th Xfinity Series victory for the NASCAR Hall of Famer Richard Childress’s team. Hill and Love led all but four laps in the race.

This is Hill’s 11th career win and after holding the point for the vast majority of the race, he ultimately earned it the hard way – a last lap pass.

“He definitely had the dominant car but I thought we might snooker one away,” Almirola said of racing Hill in those final three laps. “But it just wasn’t meant to be.”

JR Motorsports’ Sammy Smith and Big Machine Racing rookie Nick Sanchez rounded out the top-five. A final lap accident on the backstretch created chaos for several of the night’s most consistent top-10 frontrunners.

Jeb Burton, rookie Daniel Dye, Leland Honeyman, rookie William Sawalich and Harrison Burton ultimately rounded out the top-10 at the checkered flag. Kaulig Racing rookie Christian Eckes earned the Fastest Lap Bonus point.

With the victory, Hill takes a 1-point lead over Haas Factory Team driver Sheldon Creed, who was eliminated from a top-10 finish in that multi-car accident on the last lap and scored 14th. Hill’s teammate, last week’s Daytona winner Love, finished 16th.

The NASCAR Xfinity Series returns to competition next Saturday in the Focused Health 250 (2:30 p.m. ET on CW, PRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio) at the Circuit of The Americas road course. NASCAR Cup Series champion Kyle Larson is the defending race winner.


NASCAR Xfinity Series Race Number 2
Race Results for the Bennett Transportation & Logistics 250 - Saturday, February 22, 2025
Atlanta Motor Speedway - Hampton, GA - 1.54 - Mile Paved

Total Race Length - 163 Laps - 251.02 Miles


Provided by NASCAR Statistics - Saturday, 2/22/2025 @ 08:24 PM Eastern

Fin Str Car Driver Team Laps Stage 1 Pos Stage 2 Pos Pts Status Tms Laps Playoff Pts
1 2 21 Austin Hill Bennett Transportation Chevrolet 163 1 1 60 Running 5 146 7
2 4 7 Justin Allgaier Protect Your Melon Buckle Up Chevrolet 163 7 4 46 Running  
3 16 19 Aric Almirola Younglife Toyota 163  6 39 Running 1 1
4 12 8 Sammy Smith Pilot Chevrolet 163  7 37 Running  
5 15 48 Nick Sanchez # Big Machine Vodka Spiked Coolers Chevrolet 163   32 Running  
6 20 27 Jeb Burton NORMA Precision Ammunition Chevrolet 163  9 33 Running  
7 13 10 Daniel Dye # SMA Healthcare Chevrolet 163   30 Running  
8 29 70 Leland Honeyman DWC Chevrolet 163   29 Running 1 1
9 11 18 William Sawalich # Soundgear Toyota 163   28 Running  
10 19 25 Harrison Burton DEX Imaging Ford 163 9  29 Running  
11 24 51 Jeremy Clements One Stop/All South Electric Chevrolet 163   26 Running  
12 30 99 Matt DiBenedetto ReMA Chevrolet 163   25 Running  
13 7 20 Brandon Jones Menards/Atlas Toyota 163   24 Running  
14 17 00 Sheldon Creed Friends of Jaclyn Ford 163 10 3 32 Running  
15 3 11 Josh Williams Alloy Employer Services Chevrolet 163   22 Running  
16 1 2 Jesse Love Whelen Chevrolet 163 2 5 36 Running 3 13
17 31 44 Brennan Poole Frontline Fire Protection Chevrolet 163   20 Running  
18 26 71 Ryan Ellis Pella Window & Door of Georgia Chevrolet 163   19 Running  
19 25 31 Blaine Perkins easycare Chevrolet 163   18 Running  
20 14 39 Ryan Sieg Sci Aps Ford 163   17 Running  
21 38 35 Joey Gase Patriot Adventures Chevrolet 163   16 Running  
22 34 07 Nick Leitz PNR Ammunition Chevrolet 163   15 Running 1 1
23 8 1 Carson Kvapil # Bass Pro Shops/Clarience Tech Chevrolet 163 5  20 Running  
24 33 14 Garrett Smithley Hackett Truck Sales Chevrolet 163   13 Running  
25 21 92 CJ McLaughlin Main Street Auto Chevrolet 163   12 Running  
26 28 5 Kris Wright First National Bank Corp Chevrolet 163   11 Running  
27 23 4 Parker Retzlaff Suave Chevrolet 163   10 Running  
28 36 45 Mason Massey Brunt Workwear Chevrolet 163   9 Running  
29 9 16 Christian Eckes # LeafFilter Gutter Protection Chevrolet 162 8 10 12 Accident  
30 32 91 Josh Bilicki FlackTek Chevrolet 162   7 Running  
31 37 53 Mason Maggio Bill Roberts Electrical Ford 162   6 Running  
32 35 74 Carson Ware Save22 Chevrolet 161   5 Running  
33 27 28 Kyle Sieg TREE MART Ford 154   4 Running  
34 10 88 Connor Zilisch # WeatherTech Chevrolet 151 6 8 11 Accident  
35 22 26 Dean Thompson # Thompson Pipe Group Toyota 149   2 Running  
36 5 41 Sam Mayer Audibel Ford 141 3 2 18 Accident 1 1
37 18 42 Anthony Alfredo Randco Chevrolet 141   1 Accident  
38 6 54 Taylor Gray # Operation 300 Toyota 118 4  8 Accident  

Time of Race: 2 Hrs, 21 Mins, 18 Secs. Average Speed: 106.59 MPH Margin of Victory: 0.216 Seconds

Stage 1 Top 10: 21, 2, 41, 54, 1, 88, 7, 16, 25, 00
Stage 2 Top 10: 21, 41, 00, 7, 2, 19, 8, 88, 27, 16

Race Comments: Austin Hill has won the Bennett Transportation & Logistics 250 at Atlanta Motor Speedway, his 11th victory in the NASCAR Xfinity Series. Prior to the start of the race, the following vehicle(s) dropped to the rear of the field under penalty for the reason(s) indicated: No. 35 (Unapproved Adjustments).

Failed to Qualify: None.

Caution Flags: 8 for 49 laps; Laps: 7-11 (#26 Stopped On The Track [None]); 47-53 (Stage 1 Conclusion [53]); 92-98 (Stage 2 Conclusion [53]); 108-113 (#92 Incident Turn 2 [74]); 119-123 (#31, 51, 54, 88 Incident Turn 2 [74]); 127-131 (#20 Incident Turn 3 [92]); 143-150 (#41, 42, 44, 48, 88 Incident Turn 3 [20]); 155-160 (Debris Turn 1  [92]).

Lead Changes: 11 among 6 drivers; J. Love 1-3; S. Mayer 4; J. Love 5-11; A. Hill 12-47; L. Honeyman 48; A. Hill 49-71; J. Love 72-74; A. Hill 75-93; N. Leitz 94; A. Hill 95-161; A. Almirola 162; A. Hill 163.

(i) Ineligible for driver points in this series

Next Race: March 1, 2025 - Circuit of The Americas

NASCAR Integrated Marketing Communications @ P.O. Box 2875, Daytona Beach, FL 32120-2875



NASCAR Xfinity Serues Points Report
Atlanta Motor Speedway
Bennett Transportation & Logistics 250

UNOFFICIAL Provided by NASCAR Statistics - Saturday, 2/22/2025 @ 08:15 PM Eastern UNOFFICIAL

Rank Driver Car Starts GL Points Ldr Nxt Race Wins Stage Wins Playoff Pts
1. Austin Hill 21 2 16 84 0 0 1 4 9
2. Sheldon Creed 00 2 -1 83 -1 1 0 0 0
3. Jesse Love 2 2 -1 78 -6 5 1 0 5
4. Justin Allgaier 7 2 6 76 -8 2 0 0 0
5. Jeb Burton 27 2 2 66 -18 10 0 0 0
6. Harrison Burton 25 2 2 61 -23 5 0 0 0
7. Jeremy Clements 51 2 4 55 -29 6 0 0 0
8. Sam Mayer 41 2 -3 53 -31 2 0 0 0
9. Carson Kvapil # 1 2 -3 53 -31 0 0 0 0
10. Matt DiBenedetto 99 2 4 51 -33 2 0 0 0
11. Sammy Smith 8 2 14 50 -34 1 0 0 0
12. Leland Honeyman 70 2 9 50 -34 0 0 0 0
13. Taylor Gray # 54 2 -9 45 -39 5 0 0 0
14. Ryan Sieg 39 2 -1 44 -40 1 0 0 0
15. Nick Sanchez # 48 2 15 42 -42 2 0 0 0
16. Dean Thompson # 26 2 -13 40 -44 2 0 0 0
17. William Sawalich # 18 2 10 40 -44 0 0 0 0
18. Aric Almirola 19 1 -18 39 -45 1 0 0 0
19. Josh Williams 11 2 4 39 -45 0 0 0 0
20. Christian Eckes # 16 2 -5 38 -46 1 0 0 0
21. Joey Gase 35 2 -1 38 -46 0 0 0 0
22. Ryan Ellis 71 2 2 33 -51 5 0 0 0
23. Daniel Dye # 10 2 15 31 -53 2 0 0 0
24. Jordan Anderson  1 -15 30 -54 1 0 0 0
25. Josh Bilicki 91 2 -7 30 -54 0 0 0 0
26. Patrick Emerling  1 -14 27 -57 3 0 0 0
27. Brennan Poole 44 2 5 27 -57 0 0 0 0
28. Brandon Jones 20 2 9 25 -59 2 0 0 0
29. Caesar Bacarella  1 -13 24 -60 1 0 0 0
30. Anthony Alfredo 42 2 -11 24 -60 0 0 0 0
31. Blaine Perkins 31 2 4 21 -63 3 0 0 0
32. Connor Zilisch # 88 2 -3 21 -63 0 0 0 0
33. Ryan Truex  1 -11 20 -64 1 0 0 0
34. Garrett Smithley 14 2 -1 19 -65 1 0 0 0
35. Parker Retzlaff 4 2 -4 18 -66 1 0 0 0
36. Kris Wright 5 2 -2 16 -68 2 0 0 0
37. Nick Leitz 07 1 -37 15 -69 1 0 0 0
38. Justin Bonsignore  1 -12 12 -72 3 0 0 0
39. CJ McLaughlin 92 1 1 12 -72 0 0 0 0
40. Greg Van Alst  1 -12 11 -73 1 0 0 0
41. Mason Massey 45 1 -41 9 -75 2 0 0 0
42. Mason Maggio 53 1 -42 6 -78 3 0 0 0
43. Carson Ware 74 1 -4 5 -79 1 0 0 0
44. Kyle Sieg 28 2 -8 5 -79 0 0 0 0
45. Jj Yeley(i)  0 -4 0 -84 5 0 0 0

(i) Ineligible for driver points in this series