So the NASCAR Xfinity Series just got a major shake-up, and it has fans buzzing. Kaulig Racing dropped a bombshell, parting ways with Josh Williams, the driver of their No. 11 Chevrolet, effective immediately. The team’s statement was short but clear: “Kaulig Racing announced that it has parted ways with NASCAR Xfinity Series driver, effective today.”

They plan to rotate multiple drivers through the No. 11 for the final 12 races of 2025, with more details to come. Williams, a fan favorite for his grit, had been with Kaulig since 2024, but his time in the seat didn’t deliver the spark the team hoped for.

Williams, with 240 Xfinity starts since 2016, posted six top-10s in 54 races with Kaulig—four in 2024 with a 21.7 average finish and two in 2025 with a 20.0 average. His career-best sixth-place finishes came at Kansas in 2020 with DGM Racing and Charlotte in 2025 with Kaulig.

He’s also dabbled in Cup (five starts) and Trucks (two starts), but the Florida native’s Xfinity run never broke into the top-five territory. His 2023 Atlanta protest, when he parked his No. 92 on the frontstretch after a NASCAR dispute, made him a cult hero. However, that magic didn’t translate to consistent results at Kaulig.

This move opens the door for a bold new chapter, and Kaulig is wasting no time. They’ve tapped a rising Cup Series star to step into the No. 11, signaling big ambitions for the rest of the season. Meanwhile, another Xfinity shake-up at Iowa Speedway is adding fuel to the drama.

Kaulig Racing’s decision to cut ties with Josh Williams caught everyone off guard, but their next move is turning heads. For this weekend’s Xfinity race at Iowa Speedway, they’ve brought in Carson Hocevar, a 22-year-old Cup Series driver from Spire Motorsports, to pilot the No. 11 Chevrolet.

Hocevar’s pumped for the chance, saying, “I love to race, anywhere, anytime, so when I was asked to drive the Kaulig Xfinity car at Iowa, I jumped at the opportunity. I’m grateful to the team at Kaulig Racing for believing in me and to Jeff Dickerson and my Spire team for letting me have some fun with the 11 team this weekend. I promise to make the most of it.”

Hocevar’s no stranger to pressure. He jumped from a 2023 Truck Series championship chase straight to Cup in 2024. His Xfinity experience is thin with just six starts, with a best of sixth at Darlington in 2023 and one race this year at COTA—but his raw talent makes him a wildcard.

Kaulig’s move to slot in a young Cup driver shows they’re not just filling a seat; they’re aiming to shake things up. With 12 races left, Hocevar’s one-off could be a test run for something bigger, especially as Kaulig looks to boost their mid-pack program against teammates Daniel Dye and Christian Eckes, who’ve outpaced Williams but still sit 16th and lower in points.

Austin Hill suspended for actions at Indianapolis.

The Xfinity Series drama doesn’t stop with Kaulig. Austin Hill, Richard Childress Racing’s No. 21 driver, is out for this weekend’s Iowa race after NASCAR handed him a one-race suspension for intentionally right-hooking Aric Almirola into the wall at Indianapolis.

Hill’s retaliation, after Almirola moved him for fourth, sent Almirola’s car head-on into the barrier in a violent crash. Thankfully, no one was hurt. However, Hill’s expletive-laced radio rant and the five-lap penalty he got during the race didn’t help his case. NASCAR cited Sections 4.3.A, 4.4.B, and 4.4.D of their Member Code of Conduct, calling it a behavioral penalty.

The suspension is a gut-punch for Hill’s championship hopes. Under NASCAR’s 2025 waiver rules, missing a race due to suspension wipes out all playoff points. Hill’s 21 bonus points, third-most in Xfinity, are gone, leaving him at zero for the postseason.

RCR won’t appeal, stating, “We remain focused on winning a championship with Austin Hill in 2025.” Stepping in for Hill at Iowa is Cup veteran Austin Dillon, who’s ready to keep RCR’s No. 21 competitive. Hill denied intent, but the damage is done, making Iowa a wild weekend with Hocevar and Dillon shaking up the Xfinity field.