I’m all for letting the boys have at it, but some of the things that NASCAR lets happen are overboard. Not to mention, they are letting some drivers turn the great sport into a demolition derby. That was the story of the NASCAR Xfinity Series U.S. Marine Corps 250 at Martinsville. I get it, cautions are going to happen, but when a race is supposed to be 250 laps, and over 100 of those laps are under yellow, there is a problem. Austin Hill was the lucky guy once again. But his win is going to be overshadowed by ugliness all around the race track.
It doesn’t take much skill to cause incidents. And that sure seems to be all that racing has become across all of NASCAR. Is wrecking everyone racing? I think not, it’s a joke if you ask me.
Austin Hill Wins Xfinity Series Race at Martinsville That Leaves Ugly Stain on Sport
The race’s first 54 laps went caution-free as polesitter Connor Zilisch led the whole way and was able to win the opening stage without much pressure from those behind him. Lap traffic was the only hurdle at that point. Corey Day was making his Xfinity Series debut for Hendrick Motorsports, and while he was fighting for a Top 10 spot in the closing laps of the opening stage, he and Harrison Burton got together and hit the wall.
We got trouble in Turn 1! pic.twitter.com/yL5v39G7R0
— NASCAR Xfinity (@NASCAR_Xfinity) March 29, 2025
The incident and the mistake by the 19-year-old ended his chances. Though he continued, he was completely out of the picture. That incident was just the start of the chaos in this race. Not to mention, it wasn’t the worst of Harrison Burton’s incidents of the race.
Rookies Make Noise Both Good and Bad
It certainly appeared to be a good day to be one of the many rookie drivers in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, as the bright young stars were delivering all over the race track. Zilisch continued to show he’s got all the tools. He fought at the front of the race as the second stage got going, despite losing the lead on pit road following the end of stage one as Joe Gibbs Racing’s Brandon Jones put his No. 20 Toyota out front.
The leaders make contact!
There's damage on the Nos. 20 and 88. pic.twitter.com/G9baRDQTzd
— NASCAR Xfinity (@NASCAR_Xfinity) March 29, 2025
His lead didn’t last for long, as Jones and Zilisch made significant contact with each other after the lap car of Garrett Smithley lost control and spun right in front of the leaders coming onto the frontstretch. The damage forced Jones to the pitlane while Zilisch continued in the lead for the next restart.
Plenty of three-wide action would continue to highlight the second stage, and other top rookie contenders like Taylor Gray and Carson Kvapil were starting to get closer to Zilisch because of the damage on the front right corner of his car. Despite the damage, Zilisch was able to cruise to the stage two win.
A little damage is no problem!@ConnorZilisch wins Stage 2! pic.twitter.com/Mmq4smF2pX
— NASCAR Xfinity (@NASCAR_Xfinity) March 29, 2025
JGR vs. JRM
As the final stage started, it was starting to become clear that this race was going to play out between either Joe Gibbs Racing or JR Motorsports. Whether it be Zilisch, Gray, Justin Allgaier, or even Aric Almirola who won both Martinsville races in 2024. Gray certainly looked like he had a real shot to get his first career win, especially with having the first pit box off of the pitlane.
Here comes the No. 54!@Taylor_Gray leads at @MartinsvilleSwy! pic.twitter.com/fPTuOHxDSX
— NASCAR Xfinity (@NASCAR_Xfinity) March 29, 2025
That helped him gain control of the lead. It was by that time that cautions began to breed cautions. You know how I said Harrison Burton had a rough day. Things got even tougher during the final stage as he and the No. 70 car of Thomas Annuziata made contact that left Burton’s front splitter ripped off the bottom of his car and hanging off the front of it. It was a very bizarre moment for the No. 25 team.
uhhhhhhhhhh pic.twitter.com/FrtdGdZE17
— NASCAR Xfinity (@NASCAR_Xfinity) March 29, 2025
With all these incidents starting to happen, laps continued to chip away, and that started forcing drivers to make some unwise choices, especially on restarts. While the 54 of Gray continued to hold serve at the front, Connor Zilisch was going in the wrong direction, as other drivers started using him up. That seemed to be the theme, though, as this race got closer to the end.
Now @ConnorZilisch goes around! pic.twitter.com/pYoVtmy5Bz
— NASCAR Xfinity (@NASCAR_Xfinity) March 29, 2025
In NASCAR, there should be give and take. But this race was nothing but take by the end of the night.
Race Turns into Demo Derby
On lap 232 of the scheduled 250 laps, by far the biggest wreck of the weekend to this point happened, as Kaulig Racing saw a lot of money wasted. All three of their drivers had been running well most of the day. But trouble befell Josh Williams, Daniel Dye, and Christian Eckes as all three were caught up in a big wreck on he backstretch.
Hard licks for Eckes and the No. 48 of Nick Sanchez ended the day for both. Their cars were destroyed after significant contact with the inside wall.
There's more trouble!
This time, it's on the backstretch. pic.twitter.com/lJZsYe3SYN
— NASCAR Xfinity (@NASCAR_Xfinity) March 29, 2025
After a brief red flag to clear up the incident, the Xfinity Series race at Martinsville hit the point of green for a lap or two and then caution for at least the final 30 or so laps. It was quickly becoming embarrassing that these guys couldn’t keep it together for more than five laps. After restart after restart, it looked like it was going to come down to Sammy Smith or Taylor Gray.
That is, until the race got sent to overtime. A tough and physical battle between the No. 8 and 54 saw Smith bump his way past Gray right before the last yellow flag flew to send this race to overtime.
A replay of the #NASCAROvertime finish at @MartinsvilleSwy. pic.twitter.com/fGJecynkQT
— NASCAR Xfinity (@NASCAR_Xfinity) March 29, 2025
It was on the final restart that Gray wasn’t going to let Smith get away with the bump. He fired back on the restart and gave the chrome horn back. As the field took the white flag and got back to the final corners, Smith sent Gray around, much like Austin Dillon did last year at Richmond to Joey Logano. While all that was happening, others got together, and Austin Hill, the luckiest driver in the series, cashed out once again.
The big 1⃣0⃣0⃣!
With this win, @RCRracing earned its 100th #XfinitySeries victory. pic.twitter.com/WHeXN60xA1
— NASCAR Xfinity (@NASCAR_Xfinity) March 30, 2025
What a move by Hill to not only score his 12th career Xfinity Series win but also the 100th in the series for team owner Richard Childress.
Reaction to Finish
A lot of drivers had some hurt feelings following this one. And they should know this race was a joke. I’m not taking away the credit from Austin Hill taking advantage of the situation because he’s good at that. But what some of the drivers were doing at Martinsville Speedway is so uncalled for; it’s not even funny.
Plenty of drivers had reactions to what went down on the final restart. First, Taylor Gray was upset about how he got taken out of a great chance at winning at Martinsville for the second year in a row.
.@Taylor_Gray on the final laps at @MartinsvilleSwy. pic.twitter.com/wSRSnpjmwL
— NASCAR Xfinity (@NASCAR_Xfinity) March 30, 2025
If that wasn’t enough, The Athletic’s Jordan Bianchi caught Gray confronting Smith outside the infield care center.
Sammy Smith and Taylor Gray had a confrontation outside the infield care center. pic.twitter.com/ScNfc6UKoB
— Jordan Bianchi (@Jordan_Bianchi) March 30, 2025
When later asked by the CW’s Kim Coon, Smith claimed Taylor would have done the same thing to him. An awful lot of finger-pointing. There sure wasn’t much accountability on anyone’s part.
” I’m not proud of it, but he would’ve done the same to me,” Smith said. ” He’s got no respect for me.”
NASCAR is just fine with this free-for-all wreckfest. But Martinsville Speedway doesn’t deserve to see all this nonsense. This track is historic, and it should be raced with far more respect than what these guys are doing out there. As Jeff Gluck so nicely pointed out on X, the Xfinity Series track record at Martinsville for cautions was 19 in 2006. That’s what stopped the series from racing at the ‘paperclip’ for 14 years.
This race was distasteful, in my opinion, and NASCAR has to change something about this garbage.
Featured Image Credit: Logan Riely, Getty Images. 3/29/2025
