The Xfinity Series season kicked off with a thrilling race at Daytona International Speedway on Monday night, after being postponed twice due to rain. Austin Hill, driving the No. 21 Chevrolet for Richard Childress Racing, emerged victorious in the United Rentals 300, his third consecutive win at the iconic track.
Hill holds off challengers in final laps
Hill started the race in 11th position, but quickly made his way to the front of the pack. He led 39 of the 120 laps, the most of any driver, and showed his skill and speed on the 2.5-mile superspeedway. He survived several cautions and restarts, and had to fend off challenges from his rivals in the final laps.
Hill crossed the finish line 0.149 seconds ahead of second-place finisher Brett Moffitt, who also drove for Richard Childress Racing. Moffitt tried to make a move on Hill on the last lap, but could not complete the pass. Hill celebrated his fourth career Xfinity Series win and his first since 2023.
“I’m speechless right now,” Hill said after the race. “This is so surreal. To win three in a row at Daytona, I don’t think it’s ever been done before in the Xfinity Series. I’m just so thankful for this opportunity.”
Deegan crashes out in Xfinity debut
One of the most anticipated drivers in the race was Hailie Deegan, who made her Xfinity Series debut in the No. 15 Ford Mustang for AM Racing. Deegan, who was voted the most popular driver in the Truck Series for three years in a row, had high hopes for her first race at the Xfinity level.
However, her debut was cut short by an early crash in the first stage of the race. Deegan was involved in a multi-car pileup on lap 14, which also collected Shane van Gisbergen, the New Zealand driver who won the Chicago Street Race in the Cup Series last year. Deegan’s car suffered heavy damage and she was unable to continue the race. She finished in 40th place, the last of the field.
“I’ve had a bad relationship with Daytona, ever since my first Truck race here,” Deegan said. “It’s been hard for me. I’ve never been able to finish a race here. It’s frustrating, but it’s part of racing. You have to learn from it and move on.”
Other notable drivers and incidents
The race featured several other notable drivers and incidents, such as:
- Ty Gibbs, the grandson of NASCAR legend Joe Gibbs, who finished third in his first Xfinity Series start. Gibbs, who won the ARCA Menards Series championship in 2023, drove the No. 54 Toyota for Joe Gibbs Racing and impressed with his performance.
- Daniel Hemric, who led 23 laps and won the first stage of the race, but was involved in a crash on lap 91 that ended his chances of victory. Hemric, who drives the No. 18 Toyota for Joe Gibbs Racing, is still looking for his first win in the Xfinity Series after 106 starts.
- Noah Gragson, who won the second stage of the race and led 15 laps, but was penalized for speeding on pit road on lap 97. Gragson, who drives the No. 9 Chevrolet for JR Motorsports, had to restart from the back of the field and could only recover to 28th place.
- The big one, which occurred on lap 105 and involved 14 cars. The massive wreck was triggered by contact between Justin Haley and Riley Herbst, who were running in the top five. The crash eliminated several contenders, such as Harrison Burton, Brandon Jones, Justin Allgaier, and Jeb Burton.
The next race for the Xfinity Series will be the Contender Boats 250 at Homestead-Miami Speedway on Saturday, February 24.