Strategies get Austin Hill to the win at Pocono
The NASCAR Xfinity Series race Saturday had a classic Pocono Raceway feel as strategies decided the win and favored Austin Hill.
Austin Hill held off Josh Berry, who led 51 of 92 laps but couldn’t fend off Hill’s strategic overtime move for the win.
Hill restarted behind Berry in overtime and took the lead after bumping him into turn one too fast.
Berry fought back the following lap but cut a tire and finished out of the race in 24th.
Meanwhile, Hill led just the final two laps – the fewest of any leader – and won his fourth Xfinity Series race of 2023.
TOP-10 FINISHERS: Austin Hill, Sam Mayer, Chase Elliott, Riley Herbst, Daniel Hemric, Sammy Smith, Brandon Jones, Brett Moffitt, Parker Kligerman, Daniel Suarez
BEFORE OVERTIME
Hill ran 12th before the caution in stage two brought him a penalty and strategies shuffled the running order.
Running in the back with Mayer and Herbst after a subsequent caution for a restart wreck, Hill pitted a lap after them on lap 49 and vowed with them to go to the end of the race on fuel.
A caution for Justin Allgaier spinning Joey Gase with 11 laps to go put Hill back in the mix after running far behind Herbst and Mayer.
With six to go, Herbst, Mayer and Hill were in the top three. Then, it was Josh Berry, Chase Elliott, Sheldon Creed and Ryan Sieg who pitted on laps 60, 69, 61 and 77 respectively.
Everyone else on the lead lap, eighth through 23rd, had fresher tires.
After the choose, Berry vaulted to a position where he took the lead from Herbst.
A caution for Connor Mosack hitting the wall changed that. Hill pulled the key move on Berry and fended off all challenges for the win.
STAGE ONE TOP-10: Josh Berry, Daniel Hemric, John Hunter Nemechek, Sammy Smith, Sheldon Creed, Brandon Jones, Sam Mayer, Justin Allgaier, Connor Mosack, Hill
STAGE TWO TOP-10: Berry, Allgaier, Nemechek, Jones, Cole Custer, S. Smith, Mayer, Riley Herbst, Hemric, Chandler Smith
REGULAR SEASON POINTS CHAMPIONSHIP
John Hunter Nemechek wrecked with Cole Custer right as stage three began. Nemechek and Custer finished 32nd and 33rd.
Then on the final lap, Justin Allgaier and Chandler Smith wrecked exiting turn four. Smith and Allgaier finished 20th and 23rd.
All of this solidifed second-place for Hill and 20 points gained at Pocono.
- Nemechek 751 points
- Hill -13
- Allgaier -55
- Custer -85
- Smith -164
PLAYOFF CUTLINE
8. Josh Berry (+107)
9. Daniel Hemric (+83)
10. Sam Mayer (+78)
11. Sheldon Creed (+49)
12. Riley Herbst (+26 points to the cutline)
—
13. Parker Kligerman (-26 points out of a playoff spot)
14. Brett Moffitt (-49)
15. Brandon Jones (-54)
16. Kaz Grala (-141)
WHAT’S NEXT?
The NASCAR Xfinity Series head to Road America for a 45-lap race July 29 (3 p.m. ET; Broadcast: NBC, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).
Jeremy Clements (2017) and Justin Allgaier (2018) are the only past Road America Xfinity Series winners expected to race.
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Jonathan Fjeld View All
Jonathan Fjeld is the co-owner of the The Racing Experts, LLC. He has been with TRE since 2010.
A Twin Valley, MN, native, Fjeld became a motorsports fan at just three years old (first race was the 2002 Pennsylvania 500). He worked as a contributor and writer for TRE from 2010-18. Since then, he has stepped up and covered 24 NASCAR race weekends and taken on a larger role with TRE. He became the co-owner and managing editor in 2023 and has guided the site to massive growth in that time.
Fjeld has covered a wide array of stories and moments over the years, including Kevin Harvick's final Cup Series season, the first NASCAR national series disqualification in over 50 years, Shane van Gisbergen's stunning win in Chicago and the first Cup Series race at Road America in 66 years – as well as up-and-coming drivers' stories and stories from inside the sport, like the tech it takes for Hendrick Motorsports to remain a top-tier team.
Currently, he resides in Albuquerque, N.M., where he works for KOB 4, an NBC station. He works as a digital producer and does on-air reports. He loves spending time with friends and family, playing and listening to music, exploring new places, being outdoors, reading books and writing among other activities. You can email him at fjeldjonathan@gmail.com