Richard Childress Racing has found itself in hot water again, this time after its Xfinity Series driver, Austin Hill, was suspended following a wild incident at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. NASCAR handed down a one-race suspension and stripped Hill of all 21 of his playoff points for a move deemed reckless, sending Aric Almirola’s car slamming into an unprotected outer wall in the race’s final laps.

Almirola walked away unscathed, but the crash in an area without SAFER barriers left zero room for error, and NASCAR wasn’t playing around. The sanctioning body called it a behavioral violation, pointing to sections 4.3.A, 4.4.B, and 4.4.D of their Member Code of Conduct. Replays showed Hill saving his car after light contact with Almirola, only to abruptly veer left, hooking the No. 20 into the wall. NASCAR saw intent, not a control error, and their ruling was swift.

Richard Childress Racing opted not to appeal, instead focusing on Hill’s championship push in the 2025 Xfinity Series, but the penalty’s timing is brutal. Under NASCAR’s new 2025 playoff waiver policy, a one-race suspension wipes out all playoff points, leaving Hill with zero as the postseason looms. Without another win, his title hopes are on life support, a gut punch for a driver who’s been a consistent front-runner. The decision has sparked a firestorm, with fans and insiders debating whether the punishment fits the crime or if NASCAR’s being inconsistent with its rulebook.

Enter Chris Rice, Kaulig Racing’s president, who had plenty to say about the mess. On SiriusXM, Rice didn’t just defend his friend Richard Childress. He called for a complete overhaul of how NASCAR handles waivers and penalties. His take has the garage buzzing, and it’s no surprise fans are paying attention, especially after RCR’s rough ride with penalties this year.

A new standard on waivers?

Chris Rice didn’t hold back on SiriusXM, laying out a bold case for rethinking NASCAR’s penalty system after Hill’s suspension. “In this situation the driver should lose all his points and the team should keep their points because in Xfinity you’re racing for owner points and driver points. It’s a little different than Cup, and I don’t want to muddy up the water for all the listeners, but it’s a little different. I think your driver should have to come back and win again. Because at some point, we’ve got to explain to these race car drivers that these guys spend a lot of money for them to race cars.”

His point was clear: drivers should bear the brunt of penalties, not the teams that fund them. In Xfinity, where owner and driver points are separate, Rice argued it’s unfair to gut a team’s postseason chances over a driver’s mistake. Hill’s 21-point loss hurts RCR’s owner standings, and Rice believes drivers should have to re-earn playoff eligibility with a win to keep them accountable.

Rice continued, showing support for his friend Childress. “They go out and get a lot of sponsors for these guys to race cars. I’m sure this is not going to be a popular conversation. I’ll probably get a call after this. I’m sure people will be mad at me, but I’ll look at it from a team side. I look at it from Richard’s side. I’m standing in Richard’s shoes. He talked about a blue-collar team and I love Richard. Richard is one of my best friends. Our drivers are our responsibility and we have to handle it internally. It’s just bad, right?”

He stood firmly with Childress, calling RCR a blue-collar outfit that’s taken a beating from NASCAR’s rulings. With Hill’s penalty following earlier controversies, like Austin Dillon’s costly Richmond wreck, Rice’s empathy struck a chord as he pushed for more equitable treatment for all teams.

He wrapped up with a more nuanced perspective. “You try to figure out a way that he didn’t do it. You try to figure out something that he didn’t do, but maybe the driver shouldn’t get a chance. Maybe you should have to come back and win. But in a case like Stewart Friesen and what a horrible wreck. I want a bunch of prayers for him. I love Stewart Friesen, super good guy. He should get a waiver. That’s a totally different situation.”

Rice’s idea was simple but bold: drivers penalized for reckless moves should have to win again to get back in playoff contention. But drivers like Friesen, caught in unavoidable wrecks, deserve waivers. NASCAR’s 2025 rule that erases playoff points for any missed race doesn’t distinguish between intent and accident. Rice’s call for a tiered system might be the shakeup the sport needs.

Carson Hocevar to replace Josh Williams at Kaulig Racing for Iowa Xfinity Race

Meanwhile, Rice’s push for fairness connects directly to the chaos unfolding in the Xfinity Series, with Kaulig Racing making moves of its own. On Wednesday, they announced a major shake-up by parting ways with Josh Williams, who had been driving the No. 11 Chevrolet full-time since 2024.

The decision came as a surprise, given Williams’ steady presence, but recent struggles prompted the team to change direction for the final 12 races. Filling in at Iowa is Carson Hocevar, a 22-year-old Cup driver for Spire Motorsports. “I love to race, anywhere, anytime, so when I was asked to drive the Kaulig Xfinity car at Iowa, I jumped at the opportunity,” Hocevar said, expressing gratitude to Kaulig and Spire.

Although Hocevar isn’t an Xfinity regular, he’s made six starts with a best finish of sixth at Darlington in 2023. His hunger is evident. His Cup Series experience and a strong 2023 Truck Series title campaign show he has what it takes to make an impact. At the same time, RCR is managing its own driver switch, with Austin Dillon stepping in for the suspended Hill in the No. 21 at Iowa. These changes highlight the wider impact of NASCAR’s tough enforcement. Teams are scrambling to adapt, and Rice’s proposal for a new waiver policy feels all the more relevant as this unpredictable season unfolds.