The 2023 NASCAR Xfinity Series is warming up with just two races left in the campaign. The former Cup Series driver and the owner of JR Motorsports have two drivers left in the playoffs. With that, Dale Earnhardt Jr. has a good chance of celebrating victory in Phoenix. However, on a recent episode of the Dale Jr. Download, Junior was seen sitting down with one of his team’s biggest challengers.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. acknowledged the awkwardness of a title fight as he welcomed none other than Austin Hill to the studio. The Richard Childress Racing driver is in danger of being eliminated with just one race left in the round of 8. Austin Hill sits in fourth place on the Xfinity Series table, only 3 points ahead of the cutline. And there are chances of the 29-year-old’s elimination by the JR Motorsports driver at Martinsville, who is 3 points below the cutline.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. hails title rival at the business end of the season

Dale Earnhardt Jr. already has one of his drivers, Sam Mayer, in the final four. He would want nothing more than to get two drivers into the championship race, giving the team better chances for the championship crown. However, it was bold of Junior to invite a man whom his driver may replace in the top four only a week ahead of Martinsville. 

The man in question is none other than the RCR No. 21 Chevy driver, Austin Hill.  Junior spoke highly of Austin Hill, even stating that he was eager to get to know the 29-year-old driver. Junior introduced the RCR star as,

“Alright, Austin Hill, not an ally. This guest segment is brought to you by Ally but we’re just gonna go ahead and be honest about this. We’re not gonna bulls*** you. Austin Hill is not an ally. He is a competitor. We’re racing, like you said, for the Xfinity Series championship. But, I will say, I got a lot of respect for this guy. Really talented, no-nonsense, we’ve seen him stand up for himself inside and outside the race car. I think he’s a great fit at RCR which I have a personal connection to, right? And so, I don’t know a whole lot about him,” the JR Motorsports man said.

“I’m eager to get to know this guy. And he came here today, to sit down…even considering the awkwardness around our battle for the Xfinity Series championship and what may happen. I’m thankful nothing has happened since we booked him, we booked him a couple of weeks ago. No run-ins, that would have made it really hard,” Dale Earnhardt Jr. added.

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Austin Hill has always been a fiery character on the track. Fearless and unapologetic are two words that can be used best to describe the RCR star. But where does he get his feisty personality from?

Austin Hill shares childhood experiences that shaped his personality

On The Dale Jr. Download podcast, the driver of the #21 RCR car said that it all goes back to his school days. Back at that time, Austin Hill used to be bullied. That was until he decided he was done taking any form of abuse from anybody.

“There were times that I got bullied in school, and I used to just kind of put up with it. Finally, one day I go to my home to my dad, and he’s like, Well, go tell the teacher, go tell the principal, go tell the people you need to tell. If they don’t do something about it, you know what you got to do. And I am like, I have never fought; I don’t want to do it,” Hill said.

“And I had a kid in school; I don’t know if we were in the gym or whatever came up pushed me there. And I’m like, Man! Just please go away. I don’t want trouble. Keeps on, keeps on with it. And then finally, I just lost it. We throw down. And from then on, and that was kind of a turning point for me that- I am not putting up with nobody’s sh*t anymore. Like I am going to stand my ground; I don’t care how big you are; I am going to go toe to toe with you,” the RCR star added.

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With only a couple of races left in the Xfinity Series, Austin Hill is barely clinging on to a place in the final four. He will need every bit of that fiery personality if he wants to confirm his place in Phoenix.