NASCAR Xfinity Series race ends in controversy with final-lap wreck: 'Absolute garbage'
Austin Hill picked up his second win of the 2025 NASCAR Xfinity Series season on Saturday night at Martinsville Speedway but it came with some controversy at the end.
The race went to overtime and with two laps to go, Sammy Smith jumped out in front and was battling Brandon Jones and Taylor Gray for the top spot. Hill was outside of the top five. As the drivers made their way toward the backstretch, a few cars got into the wall but no yellow flag was waved.
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Gray took the lead as he went into the final turn but had Justin Allgaier on his bumper. It looked like the race was going to come down to Gray, Smith and Allgaier, but in the final turn the driving got more aggressive.
Smith slammed into the back of Gray in the final turn and moved him up the track and out of first place. Jones then got into the back of Gray and Allgaier tried to move up the track into first. But their cars slid up the track as well and it was Hill who snuck to the inside with a little push from Sheldon Creed to pick up the win.
A massive wreck occurred as the cars crossed the start-finish line.
Nobody appeared to be pleased with how the race finished. NASCAR Cup Series star Denny Hamlin let his thoughts be known with hours to go before his race at Martinsville began.
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"Absolute garbage," he wrote on X. "God I wish I were in the booth. Id get fired but I damn sure would call these idiots out."
Gray told CW Sports he felt like he had "the best car all day."
"It’s unfortunate. It’s the same story I’ve lived here for two years, for two Martinsville (races) in a row," he said. "It sucks, but it is what it is."
The Athletic caught a confrontation between Smith and Gray outside of the infield care center. Harrison Burton also confronted Smith.
Smith talked about the final laps with reporters.
"I know everyone is going to be mad and upset at me and say I'm a dirty driver, but I don't care because everybody does it," he said, via FOX Sports. "And if I was just going to accept it and finish second today, then that just wasn't going to sit well with me."
Darlington Raceway is next on the Xfinity Series schedule. Allgaier still holds the points lead with Sam Mayer in second and Hill in third. Creed is in fourth and Jesse Love is in fifth.
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