They’d “rather work with a Toyota or Ford”

Austin Hill started on the front row for the final restart at Daytona, but he quickly fell back and crashed in the race-ending pileup, finishing 25th. 

On the incident itself, Hill just saw it as normal Daytona racing that sometimes goes wrong. He gave a monster push to Nick Sanchez, but the two became separated in what ultimately led to the crash, which collected over a dozen cars.

However, the Richard Childress Racing driver did have something to say about the lack of teamwork between manufacturer allies, specifically from the Chevrolets of JR Motorsports.

NASCAR Xfinity crash

Photo by: Sean Gardner / Getty Images

“We never have the JRM cars help us,” noted Hill after being released from the infield care center. “Doesn’t matter if they’re Chevy alliance or not. They don’t help us at all. They’d rather work with a Toyota or Ford than us. We already know that our backs are against the wall with the JRM cars.

“The Toyotas definitely don’t work with us, the Fords actually probably work with us the best. And then there’s some outliers within the Chevy camp that work with us. It’s kind of par for the course.”

He went on to praise the Haas Factory Team Fords of Sheldon Creed and Sam Mayer, who he worked with throughout the night. Hill also tried working with RCR teammate Jesse Love, and while they controlled the race at one point, Hill explained that their cars did not “connect well” for whatever reason.

Allgaier responds to Hill

Austin Hill, Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet

Photo by: James Gilbert / Getty Images

After speaking with Hill, Motorsport.com’s Matt Weaver got some reaction from two JRM drivers who made up part of the 1-2-3 finish for the team at Daytona.

Reigning champion Justin Allgaier reacted to Hill’s comments by saying that he “got left out by a lot of other Chevrolets tonight, him [Hill] and the 2 [Love] included. I think we do a really good job of working well together as an organization, and I think we do a really good job of working well together with manufacturer teammates. When I look back on it, sometimes you’re just stuck in a row with other cars that are in there don’t have the same emblem on the hood.”

He went on to say that when Hill watches the replay of the race and finish, “he’ll probably realize that the comment was unwarranted. But he said before the race that he probably figured nobody was going to work with him because he’s set that tone and he’s put himself in that position, so I would say his premonition probably came true.”

Hill has been at the center of controversy in recent weeks, and was suspended for appearing to intentionally wreck Aric Almirola at Indianapolis. In his return at Watkins Glen, he accidentally triggered a massive pileup that resulted in a 45-minute red flag — an incident he took full responsibility for.

Motorsport.com also approached JRM driver Sammy Smith for a comment about Hill’s comments, but he didn’t say much. “That’s just funny coming from him. It is what is.”