NASCAR suspended Austin Hill for one race after intentionally wrecking Aric Almirola at Indianapolis Motor Speedway; however, he will still race for a championship. On Wednesday night, NASCAR announced it has granted Hill a playoff waiver to pursue an Xfinity Series title during the 2025 season.
The Richard Childress Racing driver will still make the playoffs, but it won’t be without significant consequences. Hill will have zero playoff points after NASCAR changed the waiver policy before the 2025 season. If a driver is suspended, NASCAR will strip them of their playoff points earned during the regular season.
The good news for Hill is that he can still compete for an Xfinity Series championship, but it will be a more challenging journey. The driver of the No. 21 will have zero playoff points to bank on throughout the Round of 12 and Round of 8, making this a very tough situation moving forward.