Shane van Gisbergen Doesn’t Want to 'Escalate' Rivalry with Austin Hill Following NASCAR Hauler Meeting

Key Takeaways

• Shane van Gisbergen and Austin Hill were involved in an on-track incident at Chicagoland, prompting a closed-door meeting with NASCAR officials.
• Van Gisbergen was deemed to have made intentional contact with Hill’s car, but neither driver was issued a penalty.
• Van Gisbergen expressed remorse for the incident and stated that he did not want to escalate the rivalry between them.
• Hill has a history of being involved in intentional wrecks, including a previous incident with Aric Almirola.
• The incident has added to the tension between van Gisbergen and Hill, with van Gisbergen stating that he tries to race clean but Hill is on his own agenda.

What Happened at Chicagoland?

Shane van Gisbergen and Austin Hill were involved in an on-track incident at Chicagoland, with van Gisbergen making contact with Hill’s car. The incident occurred on lap 48, when van Gisbergen was attempting to pass Hill through turns three and four.

Van Gisbergen’s No. 97 Trackhouse Chevrolet made contact with Hill’s Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet, sending Hill’s car into the wall. Hill was forced to retire from the race, while van Gisbergen continued on to finish 25th.

Why Wasn’t a Penalty Issued?

Despite the intentional contact, neither van Gisbergen nor Hill was issued a penalty by NASCAR. Mike Forde, NASCAR’s VP of racing communication, stated that officials had deemed the contact to be “100% intentional and penalty-worthy,” but chose not to issue a penalty.

Instead, both drivers were called into a closed-door meeting with NASCAR officials to discuss the incident and the need to avoid similar incidents in the future.

Van Gisbergen’s Response

Following the meeting, van Gisbergen expressed remorse for the incident and stated that he did not want to escalate the rivalry between him and Hill.

”I was racing hard, and the outcome wasn’t what I wanted, but I intended to run in there hard and hopefully get inside him, and it didn’t work out,” van Gisbergen said. “I definitely didn’t want to wreck a race car, and I definitely didn’t want to escalate. I don’t really know if it’s rivalry, but whatever it’s been between us the last three years, we never seem to race well together.”

Hill’s History of Intentional Wrecks

Austin Hill has a history of being involved in intentional wrecks, including a previous incident with Aric Almirola.

Last year, Hill was involved in a crash with Almirola at Indianapolis, and was subsequently handed a five-lap penalty. Following the race, NASCAR went further, slapping Hill with a suspension and stripping him of the playoff points he had earned during the regular season.

The Rivalry Between Van Gisbergen and Hill

The incident at Chicagoland has added to the tension between van Gisbergen and Hill, with van Gisbergen stating that he tries to race clean but Hill is on his own agenda.

”He’s the kind of personality, I guess, who feels like he’s got to get the last laugh or the last one to strike,” van Gisbergen said. “And he threatened that, I guess. But yeah, it’s what it is. So I try and race clean and do my own thing, but I guess he’s on his own agenda.”

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What happened between Shane van Gisbergen and Austin Hill at Chicagoland?

Van Gisbergen made intentional contact with Hill’s car, sending Hill’s car into the wall. Hill was forced to retire from the race, while van Gisbergen continued on to finish 25th.

Q: Why wasn’t a penalty issued to either driver?

NASCAR officials deemed the contact to be “100% intentional and penalty-worthy,” but chose not to issue a penalty. Instead, both drivers were called into a closed-door meeting to discuss the incident and the need to avoid similar incidents in the future.

Q: What is the history between van Gisbergen and Hill?

The two drivers have a history of not racing well together, with van Gisbergen stating that he tries to race clean but Hill is on his own agenda.