Austin Hill wins at Homestead to take 2nd spot in NASCAR Xfinity championship finale

(NEXSTAR) — After sweeping both stages and overcoming a three second deficit, Austin Hill took the checkered flag at Homestead Miami Speedway Saturday and advanced to the NASCAR Xfinity Series championship race for the first time in his career.

“Those last 10-ish laps were, like, the longest laps of my life, and then once we finally crossed the white flag for the one time around, there were so many emotions that went through my head,” Hill said following his win Saturday night.

Hill drove the No. 21 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet past Cole Custer with 12 laps to go, and held on to join AJ Allmendinger in the four-driver championship field at Phoenix.

Hill started the race fifth out of eight playoff drivers and below the cutline, but swept the day and led for 79 laps. He beat Custer by 3.045 seconds.

Custer, in the No. 00 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford, moved to fourth in the standings.

With the Xfinity race now in the rear view, all eyes turn to NASCAR’s Cup Series Playoff Race, the Straight Talk Wireless 400. Seven drivers will look to lock themselves into the Championship 4 race in Phoenix.

Drivers have said that Homestead is a fun track to race on, but it provides a unique challenge with its variable banking, worn asphalt and its infamous wall.

“Just being good and disciplined at a place like this makes a big difference,” said Hendrick Motorsports Driver Chase Elliott.

The next and final race in the Xfinity Series Round of 8, The National Debt Relief 250, kicks off Saturday, November 2nd at Martinsville Speedway in Martinsville, VA at 4 p.m. ET.

The Associated Press contributed to this story.

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