NASCAR issued a $25,000 and the loss of 25 driver points to Austin Hill for his actions towards Cole Custer on track during the Xfinity Series race at Charlotte Motor Speedway.
The penalties lied under Section 4.4B in the NASCAR Rule Book, which deals with the Member Code of Conduct, concerning the following guidelines:
- 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.
Specifically, Hill is being penalized for his decision to stay on the throttle after the final contact between them, not lifting until Custer was turned around in front of oncoming traffic at the backstretch. It was the ending to a sequence of hard driving and contact between them, one that cut a tire of the RCR No. 21 and sent him towards the wall and into Custer.
Hill continued and finished two laps down with a 25th place result. Custer was eliminated from the race and finished 32nd. With the penalty, Hill falls from the Xfinity Series championship lead to third behind Chandler Smith and Custer.