“Don’t like the dude but good call”: Fans react as NASCAR delivers its verdict on Austin Hill 'flipping off' a fan after Talladega win

NASCAR Xfinity Series driver Austin Hill found himself at the center of controversy after his win at Talladega Superspeedway. He was photographed flipping off a fan from his No. 21 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet. Soon after, NASCAR announced that Hill would not face any penalties for his actions.

The photo in question showed Hill holding up his middle finger toward fans who had reportedly done the same to him as he celebrated his second consecutive win at Talladega. It was his fourth win of the 2025 NASCAR Xfinity Series season, though he’s no longer in contention for the driver’s championship after being eliminated in the Round of 12.

Jeff Gluck shared a post on X. After NASCAR made the call not to fine Austin Hill, the decision set off a wave of reactions online. While many fans supported this decision, others criticized the move as disrespectful to the sport.

"Don’t like the dude but good call there," one fan wrote. "He should make that his signature celebration like it’s Carl’s backflip," another added.

Reporter Steven Taranto shared a similar view, saying,

“He shouldn’t be. Considering the context I actually thought it was pretty funny.” "Good. Don’t like Austin Hill, but it’s good that they’re allowing him to at least show some personality," another fan wrote.

However, not everyone agreed with the authority's leniency. Some felt the sanctioning body should have taken a stronger stance.

“Should have been. No need to bring disrespect to this sport. It’s struggling enough,” one fan commented. "He's a freaking bully…" another said. "A punk anyways. He always shows no respect or class to fans and drivers," one more fan added.

The fan who took the photo later provided more context. Posting under the handle @TheDrChimp, the user clarified that their group had flipped Hill off first and that his gesture was just a response.

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Austin Hill secures fourth NASCAR Xfinity Series win of 2025 at Talladega

The Richard Childress Racing driver claimed his fourth Xfinity Series win of the 2025 season at the United Rentals 250 on October 18. Hill started fifth and drove his No. 21 Chevrolet to a commanding win after leading 48 of the 100 laps at the 2.66-mile superspeedway.

Hill’s teammate Jesse Love began from pole position after clocking a best lap of 52.79 seconds at 181.41 mph. Love finished tenth after losing ground in the final stage despite a strong start. While Hill controlled the pace and edged out JRM’s Carson Kvapil by just 0.105 seconds at the finish line.

Hill's win secured Richard Childress Racing a place in the owner’s championship finale. Speaking to NASCAR after the race, Hill reflected on what that meant for his team.

“As the playoff started and us getting knocked out the way we did, it stung a lot, but once we knew we were still in it for the owner’s championship, I decided I’d do it just like I would going for a driver’s championship,” Hill said. “To be able to lock ourselves in and go to Phoenix knowing we’re going for an owner’s championship and be able to try and deliver one to Richard Childress Racing means the world to me.”

Love currently sits third in the Xfinity Series playoff standings with a 40-point buffer above the cutoff line. While Hill won’t race for the driver’s title, his win keeps RCR firmly in contention for team honors as the season heads toward its end.

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Edited by Tushhita Barua