Richard Childress Racing’s Austin Hill has been fined $25,000 and docked 25 points following an on-track incident with Cole Custer during Saturday’s NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway.
According to NASCAR, The penalty falls under Section 4.4B in the NASCAR Rule Book. That section deals with NASCAR’s Member Code of Conduct, with penalty guidelines that include:
• Wrecking or spinning another vehicle, whether or not that vehicle is removed from competition as a result.
• Any actions deemed to compromise the safety of an event or otherwise pose a dangerous risk to the safety of competitors, officials, spectators, or others.
With 17 laps remaining in the event, Hill and Custer tangled, resulting in a cut tire for Hill’s No. 21 Chevrolet. Hill spun shortly after, collecting Custer’s No. 00 Ford between turns one and two.
After the caution flag waved, Hill ran into the back of Custer’s Stewart-Haas Racing Ford, eventually spinning Custer into the inside wall.
Hill finished 25th in the race, two laps down, while Custer was unable to continue and placed 32nd.
With the points reduction, Hill drops to third in the standings behind new points leader Chandler Smith and second-place runner Custer.