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Austin Hill Continues RCR’s Dominance At Daytona With Season-Opening Win

by Hunter Thomas February 14, 2026 0 comments

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Richard Childress Racing continued its dominance at Daytona International Speedway on Saturday in the United Rentals 300 as Austin Hill delivered the organization’s fifth consecutive season-opening win.

Hill won the race in 2022, 2023 and 2024 and then last year his teammate Jesse Love won. On Saturday night in the 2026 season-opener for the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series, Hill started on the pole in the No. 21 Bennett Transportation Chevrolet and swept all stages en route to the first win of the season. Hill was challenged by the pack in the final laps, but he successfully blocked all challengers and to secure his 15^th series victory.

“I thought I messed up on the white flag lap off of (Turn) 2,” Hill said. “I got way out. Luckily, I was able to make the block with 7 (Justin Allgaier), and then I almost missed the block on whoever the blue car (Jordan Anderson) was. Here it is right here. I almost missed this block. Right when I got down, he gave me a shot. I had to save the car, but after that it was just hammer it down and just hoping that they wouldn’t get back to me. Daytona has been so good to me. I love this place.”

Allgaier finished runner-up in the JR Motorsports No. 7 BRANDT Chevrolet; however, the road wasn’t easy. On Lap 93, just 27 laps away from the finish, Allgaier was caught up in an eight-car accident that brought out the red flag. He bounced back and had an opportunity to contend for the win on the final lap. Anderson pushed Allgaier to the bumper of Hill on the final lap. Allgaier moved high and then Anderson made contact with Hill, who propelled him forward. A push from Ryan Sieg helped Allgaier solidify his 16^th top-10 at Daytona.

“Well, if I was a cat, I think I burned all nine of my lives,” Allgaier said. “So maybe this is a cue to go to your local Humane Society and adopt an animal because I think I lived all those nine lives tonight.

“But really proud of our time at JR Motorsports. Everybody on the 7 team, Andrew Overstreet, new crew chief, you know, coming in here and really leading what was a great night for us.”

Sieg overcame a whole lot of adversity throughout the night to earn a third-place finish. He cut a tire early in the race and went a lap down, then he ran out of fuel and he was also caught up in the Lap 93 accident, but he battled back for his 10^th top-10 at Daytona.

“I tried to take myself out of contention and hit the wall earlier and then cut a tire, and then we ran out of gas,” Sieg said. “Then I could never get the lucky dog.

“No, just a lot of fun having Hendrick power under the hood and a fast SciAps Chevrolet, so just glad to come out of here with a third. The way it went, it was a wild race most of the race. You are trying to get your lap (indiscernible) to get the lucky dog, and it was wild out there. Everybody was just fighting all day”

Anderson and Sammy Smith completed the top-5. Rounding out the top-10 was Ryan Ellis, Carson Kvapil, Blaine Perkins, Love and Rajah Caruth.

There were 15 lead changes among eight drivers. Hill led a race high of 78 laps.

The caution came out on seven occasions for 36 laps.

Hill leads Allgaier in the standings by 25 points.

The NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series will visit EchoPark Speedway on Saturday, Feb. 21 for the Bennett 250. Live coverage of the second race of the season will broadcast on the CW Network at 5 p.m. ET.

Photo Credit: Mitchell White/TheFourthTurn.com