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Austin Hill wins regular season NASCAR Truck Series finale at the Glen

Austin Hill got an assist from Mother Nature in picking up his second NASCAR Truck Series victory of the 2021 season.

Watch: Austin Hill wins weather-shortened race at Watkins Glen

Hill was leading the way in the final stage of Saturday’s race at Watkins Glen (N.Y.) International when NASCAR was forced to halt the race due to lightning strikes within an 8-mile radius of the track.

After waiting nearly an hour and with an Xfinity Series race still to be run later Saturday afternoon, NASCAR called the race official at approximately 3:25 p.m. ET with the completion of 61 of the scheduled 72 laps.

It was the first race at the Glen for the Truck Series since the 2000 season.

 

The win is Hill’s second of the season – his other came at the dirt race at Knoxville, Iowa – and eighth of his career, all coming with Hattori Racing Enterprises.

“I’ve been trying to win a on a road course for a very long time, even back in the K&N (Pro Series) days. I always felt I got around the road courses fairly decent,” Hill said. “Finally, we had a race that does everything that we needed to do.

“I was biting my nails a little bit when that rain came and what was going to happen with the lightning and all that. I had a really nice piece today and we were able to go out there and get it done. It’s really special to get a win at Watkins Glen.”

John Hunter Nemechek ended up second, Sheldon Creed third, Todd Gilliland fourth and Parkere Kligerman rounded out the top-five.

Completing the top-10 were Zane Smith, Tyler Ankrum, Paul Menard, Sam Mayer and Carson Hocevar.

Saturday’s race was also the last in the Truck Series’ regular season.

Click here to see the drivers will compete for the 2021 series championship in the seven-race playoffs.

Stage 3

Following the break between Stages 2 and 3, most of the lead-lap trucks remained on the track and Austin Hill led the way on the restart on Lap 50.

On Lap 54, A.J. Allmendinger got into Derek Kraus off Turn 4, sending him for a spin into the barrier which brought out a caution.

 

On the restart on Lap 57, Austin Hill remained the leader followed by Nemechek, Creed, Zane Smith and Tyler Ankrum.

On Lap 61, NASCAR issued a caution as a lightning strike was recorded within an 8-mile radius of the track. The field was brought down pit road and the red flag displayed.

Stage 2

Austin Hill reclaimed his lead after a late-stage round of green-flag pit stops and held off Nemechek to take the Stage 2 win.

Allmendinger was third, Zane Smith fourth and Creed rounded out the top-five.

Following the break between Stages 1 and 2, a handful of trucks pit but Jack Wood and Hocevar stayed out and led the way when the race returned to green on Lap 24.

Hocevar grabbed the lead after the restart and Zane Smith powered around Hocevar to move into the top spot on Lap 25.

On Lap 29, Austin Hill powered around Zane Smith to reclaim the lead as Mayer moved into second.

With 10 laps remaining in the second stage, Austin Hill had moved out to a 3.2-second lead over Nemechek as Mayer dropped to third.

With five laps to go, Austin Hill maintained a more than 3 second advantage over Nemechek. Allmendinger had moved into third after starting from the rear of the field.

A number of teams elected to pit prior to the stage break with Austin Hill among them, which turned the lead over to Nemechek.

Austin Hill moved back into the lead on Lap 44 after Nemechek made a stop for new tires and fuel.

Stage 1

After wrestling the lead away from Austin Hill, Gilliland held on to take the Stage 1 over Creed.

Derek Kraus was third, Josh Berry fourth and Austin Wayne Self rounded out the top-five.

Austin Hill started on the pole and was able to avoid several trucks who spun and went off track entering Turn 1 on the first lap.

 

Rhodes, one of the trucks involved in the initial incident, ended up pitting but then was penalized for speeding in pit road and had to serve a pass-through penalty.

On Lap 5, Gilliland got around Austin Hill to grab the lead for the first time.

Chad Chastain, making his first start in the series, went off course in Turn 1 on Lap 8 and slammed into the tire barriers to bring out a full-course caution.

The race returned to green on Lap 11 with Gilliland out front, followed by Austin Hill and Hocevar.

Christian Eckes was among a handful of trucks to spin entering Turn 1 on the restart but they were all able to continue.

With five laps remaining in the first stage, Gilliland had built nearly a 2-second lead over Creed as Hocevar ran third.

With three laps to go, Hocevar, Austin Hill were among those who elected to pit for tires and fuel prior to the break.

Cla # Driver Manufacturer Laps Time Gap Interval Laps Led
1 16 United States Austin Hill Toyota 61 1:37'45.551     35
2 4 United States John Hunter Nemechek Toyota 61 1:37'46.574 1.023 1.023 2
3 2 United States Sheldon Creed Chevrolet 61 1:37'47.875 2.324 1.301  
4 38 United States Todd Gilliland Ford 61 1:37'48.424 2.873 0.549 18
5 75 United States Parker Kligerman Chevrolet 61 1:37'49.394 3.843 0.970  
6 21 Zane Smith Chevrolet 61 1:37'51.071 5.520 1.677 4
7 26 United States Tyler Ankrum Chevrolet 61 1:37'52.493 6.942 1.422  
8 66 United States Paul Menard Toyota 61 1:37'54.235 8.684 1.742  
9 32 Sam Mayer Chevrolet 61 1:37'55.501 9.950 1.266  
10 42 Carson Hocevar Chevrolet 61 1:37'56.205 10.654 0.704 1
11 25 Josh Berry Chevrolet 61 1:37'57.107 11.556 0.902  
12 02 United States Kaz Grala Chevrolet 61 1:37'58.343 12.792 1.236  
13 98 United States Christian Eckes Toyota 61 1:38'00.238 14.687 1.895  
14 15 United States Tanner Gray Ford 61 1:38'00.839 15.288 0.601  
15 99 United States Ben Rhodes Toyota 61 1:38'01.406 15.855 0.567  
16 22 United States Austin Wayne Self Chevrolet 61 1:38'02.130 16.579 0.724  
17 40 United States Ryan Truex Chevrolet 61 1:38'02.982 17.431 0.852  
18 18 Chandler Smith Toyota 61 1:38'03.554 18.003 0.572  
19 51 Corey Heim Toyota 61 1:38'04.444 18.893 0.890  
20 1 United States Hailie Deegan Ford 61 1:38'05.566 20.015 1.122  
21 52 United States Stewart Friesen Toyota 61 1:38'06.456 20.905 0.890  
22 19 United States Derek Kraus Toyota 61 1:38'07.056 21.505 0.600  
23 88 United States Matt Crafton Toyota 61 1:38'07.820 22.269 0.764  
24 13 United States Johnny Sauter Toyota 61 1:38'08.443 22.892 0.623  
25 56 United States Timmy Hill Chevrolet 61 1:38'09.042 23.491 0.599  
26 24 Jack Wood Chevrolet 61 1:38'11.003 25.452 1.961 1
27 12 Tate Fogleman Chevrolet 61 1:38'19.211 33.660 8.208  
28 23 United States A.J. Allmendinger Chevrolet 61 1:38'31.995 46.444 12.784  
29 30 Danny Bohn Toyota 61 1:38'45.867 1'00.316 13.872  
30 3 United States Bobby Reuse Chevrolet 61 1:40'15.173 2'29.622 1'29.306  
31 49 United States Roger Reuse Toyota 60 1:38'28.414 1 Lap 1 Lap  
32 33 United States Josh Reaume Chevrolet 60 1:38'30.264 1 Lap 1.850  
33 34 Alan Lawless Chevrolet 60 1:38'59.003 1 Lap 28.739  
34 20 United States Spencer Boyd Chevrolet 59 1:38'21.376 2 Laps 1 Lap  
35 45 United States Chad Chastain Chevrolet 58 1:38'26.496 3 Laps 1 Lap  
36 17 Taylor Gray Ford 53 1:38'20.003 8 Laps 5 Laps  
37 10 United States Jennifer Jo Cobb Chevrolet 45 1:37'47.544 16 Laps 8 Laps  
38 6 United States Norm Benning Chevrolet 40 1:28'46.308 21 Laps 5 Laps  
39 9 United States Grant Enfinger Chevrolet 8 11'51.393 53 Laps 32 Laps  
40 41 United States Will Rodgers Chevrolet 6 8'11.080 55 Laps 2 Laps  

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