Riley Herbst has lashed out at Austin Hill after a dramatic Kansas Speedway crash jeopardized his playoff aspirations. During the event, Austin Hill in the No. 21 car caused Herbst to spin into the grass on the front stretch, ruining what had been a promising race for Herbst. Admitting his fault, Hill acknowledged the mistake and planned to apologize through his team.

However, Herbst’s reaction was unequivocal:

“I run him down from a straightaway back, pass him cleanly and what does he do? He wrecks me.” His team was equally open, labeling Hill a “hack.”

The crash occurred with 65 laps remaining, when Herbst was holding P10. Meanwhile, his teammate Cole Custer was gunning for consecutive wins, battling against Chandler Smith from Joe Gibbs Racing. Hill had been running in the top-5 prior to this mistake.

Austin Hill, driver of the #21 Bennett Transportation Chevrolet, talks with Riley Herbst, driver of the #98 Monster Energy Ford, after the NASCAR Xfinity Series Kansas Lottery 300 at Kansas Speedway on September 28, 2024…


Chris Graythen/Getty Images

Herbst entered the Kansas race with a precarious three-point buffer above the playoff cutline. With no top-10 finishes in the previous four races – his last being a P4 at Daytona – Kansas was critical for Herbst’s Round of 8 aspirations, especially with the unpredictable Talladega race upcoming. Despite the setback, Herbst showed his strength, continuing to compete in the race and striving for a top-5 finish. The final green flag pit stops and last 50 laps were predicted to be critical in determining not only the Kansas winner but also the playoff standings.

Austin Hill’s aggressive driving has been noted before, and this incident shows a repeated pattern. However, Hill’s admission of a “mental mistake” offered a level of accountability. Nonetheless, the damage to Herbst’s playoff hopes is palpable.

Herbst’s direct reaction highlighted his frustration. “Yeah, he’s a hack.” Herbst’s disappointment was evident, reflecting on the potential solid finish that had been within reach prior to the crash.

The outcome of Kansas remains critical for Herbst’s playoff journey. The final laps will determine if he can mitigate the damage and secure sufficient points to maintain his standing.

2024 Xfinity Driver Standings As Of Writing

  1. Justin Allgaier
  2. Cole Custer
  3. Austin Hill
  4. Chandler Smith
  5. Shane van Gisbergen
  6. Jesse Love
  7. Sam Mayer
  8. Riley Herbst
  9. Sheldon Creed
  10. AJ Allmendinger
  11. Sammy Smith
  12. Parker Kligerman
  13. Ryan Sieg
  14. Brandon Jones
  15. Anthony Alfredo
  16. Brennan Poole
  17. Josh Williams
  18. Leland Honeyman
  19. Parker Retzlaff
  20. Jeremy Clements
  21. Jeb Burton
  22. Ryan Ellis
  23. Kyle Weatherman
  24. Kyle Sieg
  25. Ryan Truex
  26. Matt DiBenedetto
  27. Blaine Perkins
  28. Aric Almirola
  29. Carson Kvapil
  30. Josh Bilicki
  31. Hailie Deegan
  32. Garrett Smithley
  33. Austin Green
  34. Patrick Emerling
  35. Joey Gase
  36. David Starr
  37. Joe Graf Jr
  38. BJ McLeod
  39. Jordan Anderson
  40. Ed Jones
  41. JJ Yeley
  42. Connor Zilisch
  43. Nick Leitz
  44. Logan Bearden
  45. Sage Karam
  46. Caesar Bacarella
  47. Alex Labbe
  48. Dale Earnhardt Jr
  49. Brad Perez
  50. Bubba Pollard
  51. Natalie Decker
  52. CJ McLaughlin
  53. Chad Finchum
  54. Justin Bonsignore
  55. Patrick Gallagher
  56. Conor Daly
  57. Greg Van Alst
  58. Thomas Annunziata
  59. RC Enerson
  60. Myatt Snider
  61. Preston Pardus
  62. Dexter Bean
  63. Nathan Byrd
  64. Daniil Kvyat
  65. Andre Castro
  66. Glen Reen
  67. Boris Said
  68. Carson Ware
  69. Mike Skeen
  70. Armani Williams
  71. Morgen Baird
  72. Timothy Viens
  73. Ryan Vargas
  74. Gus Dean
  75. Alon Day