Austin Hill repeats in Xfinity Series opener at Daytona

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. —  Austin Hill won Saturday night’s Xfinity Series opener at Daytona International Speedway as the race ended under caution in overtime after a spectacular last lap crash.

Officials needed about five minutes after the finish to analyze video before declaring Hill the winner.

The last lap crash sent Sam Mayer‘s Chevrolet spinning and flipping onto its roof after contact with Hill. The car slid along the track upside down as sparks flew, then hit the grass adjacent to the track and flipped onto its wheels.

Mayer moved to the outside to challenge Justin Allgaier for the lead on the last lap but lost control of his car after contact with Hill’s car. The caution flew, meaning the driver in front when officials pushed the caution button would win the race. And that was Hill. He edged John Hunter Nemechek. Following were Allgaier, Parker Retzlaff and Myatt Snider.

“When I chose the outside line (before the last green flag), I didn’t feel like the inside line was that great,” Hill said. “When I saw (Mayer) and (Allgaier) get together, I said, ‘You can’t lift. It’s the last lap.’ As soon as the caution light came on, I thought I had it, but it was so close.”

Mayer was not injured.

Hill, who also won this race last year, had the lead much of Saturday’s race and led a long chain of single-file cars in a draft approaching the closing miles.

With eight laps to go, Hill held the lead in front of four JR Motorsports cars in a row — Josh Berry, Allgaier, Mayer and Brandon Jones.

The drafting line held together until the lap counter dropped to two laps to go. Jones was bounced off the track by Berry while running third. His slide forced a caution flag, setting up the overtime finish. Berry lost his chance at victory