TC Daily Pit Stop: NASCAR Suspends Austin Hill For Indy Antics; Will Playoff Format Remain Same in 2026?
TC Daily Pit Stop: Wednesday, July 30th, 2025
NASCAR Suspends Austin Hill From Iowa Xfinity Race Following Indianapolis Actions
Austin Hill will not be permitted to compete in Saturday’s NASCAR Xfinity Series HyVee Perks 250 at Iowa Speedway following NASCAR’s decision to suspend the Richard Childress Racing driver after a nasty incident last weekend at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
With 10 laps remaining in last Saturday’s race, Hill right rear hooked Aric Almirola heading into Turn 4. This sent Almirola head-first into the outside wall, in a portion of the track, which had no SAFER Barrier protection.
Richard Childress Racing says it will not appeal the penalty to Austin Hill and that Austin Dillon will drive the No. 21 Chevrolet in Hill’s place on Saturday.
Due to the suspension, if Hill is granted a Playoff Waiver by NASCAR, which would keep his championship hopes alive, the driver will forfeit the 21 Playoff Points he has earned so far this season, as well as any future Playoff Points he will gain the remainder of the season.
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Gluck: TV Wants a Playoff Format; Timing May Force NASCAR to Keep Playoffs Same For 2026
On last week’s episode of ‘The Teardown’ Podcast, Jeff Gluck revealed that he has been part of a special Playoff Committee created by NASCAR ahead of the 2025 season. The purpose of the committee has been to provide feedback to NASCAR about the current Playoff Format, and what potential changes should be made for the 2026 season when it comes to how the sport decides a champion.
Gluck says that while there was real feeling in the room during the two meetings the committee has had (Daytona 500 week and Coca-Cola 600 week) that the Playoff format would change from the current one-race winner-take-all system we have to something new in 2026, he’s not as confident now.
According to Gluck, NBC, which signed on for seven more seasons of carrying the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs in the latest NASCAR Media Rights Agreement, isn’t keen on changing the Playoffs as they stand.
That, coupled with NASCAR being up against a time limit on releasing the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series schedule, has Gluck feeling that we will be destined to see the exact same Playoff format in 2026.
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How to Watch the NASCAR Cup Series Iowa Corn 350 Powered by Ethanol
Hamlin: Brickyard 400 Win is ‘Next Step’ For 23XI Racing Team
Syracuse Football to Sponsor JJ Yeley, NY Racing Team at Watkins Glen
Toni Breidinger to Compete in ACL’s “Cornhole for a Cause” Event
Goodyear Utilizing New Left and Right-Side Tires for Iowa NASCAR Cup Series Race
Todd Gilliland Scores Refreshing 6th Place Effort at Indianapolis
Stewart Friesen Suffers Open-Book Pelvic Fracture in Violent Dirt Modified Wreck
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