Austin Hill found himself at the center of another controversy during Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series race at Chicagoland Speedway after contact with Shane van Gisbergen ended his race early. The incident happened on lap 47 when SVG made contact with the rear of Hill’s No. 33 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet entering Turn 3, sending him hard into the outside wall.
Moments later, while the field was under caution, Hill appeared to retaliate by driving into SVG’s No. 97 Chevrolet before taking his damaged car to the garage. The incident quickly sparked debate among fans on social media, with many criticizing Hill’s actions.
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The latest clash added another chapter to the growing rivalry between the two drivers. They first traded paint regularly in the 2024 NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series, but tensions have escalated over the past month. Following Sunday’s race, CBS Sports‘ Steven Taranto shared a clip on X showing Hill making contact with SVG’s car under caution. RCR team radio urged him to stay calm:
“Big picture, Austin. Big picture, please.”
SVG said on his radio:
“The fellow hit my left front.”
The clip quickly drew strong reactions from fans on X, many of whom felt Austin Hill’s actions crossed the line.
“They’ve got to get someone else in the seat. Absolute embarrassment for RCR. Dude is a baby,” one fan wrote.
Others shared similar opinions.
“Austin Hill is such a cry baby. Can dish it but can’t take shit,” wrote another.
Another fan compared Hill’s approach to that of the late Kyle Busch:
“They told him he’d be filling Kyle’s spot after he passed (RIP KB) I think he took it a little to literally and tried to be tough like KB, but it just comes across as a 12 year old temper tantrum when Hill does it.”
Some questioned Hill’s place in the Cup Series altogether:
“I mean really who does he really think he is? He’s just a fill in driver.”
“Austin Hill is another unqualified wannabe. Does not belong in the Cup Series. Childress better wake up,” added another.
One fan also asked on X, whether NASCAR would take disciplinary action:
“Surely intentional contact under caution receives a penalty?”
Austin Hill’s race ended after completing just 47 of the scheduled 267 laps, leaving him 37th in the final classification. Shane van Gisbergen recovered to finish 25th, keeping himself in the Cup Series playoff hunt.
Austin Hill and SVG offer different views on the Chicagoland incident
The Chicagoland crash came after weeks of growing tension between the two drivers. At Pocono Raceway, Austin Hill’s car drifted up the track during a three-wide battle, collecting Shane van Gisbergen in a crash. The following weekend in San Diego, Hill overshot Turn 1 while racing Connor Zilisch for the lead on a restart, causing a multi-car pileup that eliminated both Trackhouse Racing drivers.
Those incidents appeared to set the stage for another confrontation at Chicagoland. After being released from the infield care center, Hill said:
“I’m sure y’all have seen the replay. So if I have to explain it, people probably need to get glasses. I was entering the corner normal. Everyone blocks everybody’s air off, right? That’s the way these Cup cars are. I was just going down to block his air off, and from my standpoint, it just looked like he sped up. So, who knows?”
SVG denied any intent to wreck Hill, saying:
“I was shooting for the bottom, trying to get clean air. I was so tight, and he just chopped my nose and got in the wall. So, sorry about that. Sorry to his guys, they’re always nice people, and it happens.”
Asked whether he would speak with Hill afterward, the Kiwi added:
“I’ll talk to him, but he just grunts.”
Richard Childress, however, believed the contact was deliberate. Over the No. 33 team radio, the RCR owner described it as “payback for California,” referring to the San Diego street race incident. He also called on NASCAR to review the incident.
Edited by Anurup Chakraborty
