NASCAR Xfinity Series Race Ends in Controversy with Final-Lap Chaos

Austin Hill secured his second win of the 2025 NASCAR Xfinity Series season on Saturday night at Martinsville Speedway, but it wasn’t without a hefty dose of drama. The final lap turned into a chaotic scene, leaving drivers and fans alike speechless—and, in some cases, furious.

The race went into overtime, with Sammy Smith battling Brandon Jones and Taylor Gray for the lead. Hill, at that point, wasn’t even in the top five. As the cars sped into the backstretch, a few hit the wall, but the yellow flag stayed tucked away. Gray took the lead heading into the final turn, with Justin Allgaier on his bumper. What followed was a symphony of aggressive driving that NASCAR seems to have mastered.

Smith muscled his way into Gray’s back, pushing him out of first place. Jones joined the chaos, bumping Gray as well, and Allgaier attempted to swoop in for the win. But the plan backfired as their cars slid up the track. Enter Hill, who sneaked through on the inside with a nudge from Sheldon Creed to clinch the victory. The finish line was marked by a massive wreck, the kind that leaves spectators gasping and drivers fuming.

Denny Hamlin, a NASCAR Cup Series star, didn’t mince words. Hours before his own race at Martinsville, he posted on X (formerly Twitter), "Absolute garbage. God I wish I were in the booth. I’d get fired, but I damn sure would call these idiots out." Yikes. Tell us how you really feel, Denny.

Gray wasn’t shy about sharing his frustration either. Speaking to CW Sports, he lamented, "It’s unfortunate. It’s the same story I’ve lived here for two years, for two Martinsville races in a row. It sucks, but it is what it is." Spoken like a man who’s been burned before.

The drama didn’t stop on the track. Outside the infield care center, tensions flared as Smith found himself confronted by both Gray and Harrison Burton. Smith, however, seemed unfazed by the backlash. "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 told reporters. "And if I was just going to accept it and finish second today, then that just wasn’t going to sit well with me." Love him or hate him, the guy’s got conviction.

As the dust settles, the Xfinity Series looks ahead to Darlington Raceway. Allgaier still leads the points standings, followed by Sam Mayer, Hill, Creed, and Jesse Love. But after a night like this, you can bet everyone’s adrenaline—and tempers—will still be running high.