Richard Childress Racing had two drivers in the round of 8 in the NASCAR Xfinity Series Playoffs. Both Austin Hill and Sheldon Creed had a golden opportunity to reach the Championship Four with less than five laps remaining in Saturday's race.
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Hill and Creed both restarted in overtime side by side, with Creed in a must-win situation to make the championship-deciding race while all Hill needed to do was beat both his teammate and Justin Allgaier.
Both RCR drivers raced each other very tough, fighting for every bit of racetrack. When the checkered flag fell to end the race, Creed lost the win by just a few inches while Hill crashed hard on the front stretch and failed to reach the finish line.
Here is the wild finish to tonight’s #NASCAR Xfinity race at Martinsville, where a pair of RCR teammates controlled the race, and neither ended up in victory lane after some hardcore pushing and shoving: pic.twitter.com/xABKrS6IH1
— Toby Christie (@Toby_Christie) October 28, 2023
Hill was very critical of his soon-to-be former teammate, Creed, following the race, that saw them both eliminated from the playoffs. Hill mockingly applauded Creed's No. 2 team as he walked past their pit stall on his way to the care center.
Both drivers had their own stories about what happened, with Hill being the more critical one, even citing that Creed hasn't been a good teammate and he's ready for him to be gone from RCR. Hill was visibly frustrated when interviewed by NBC's Dave Burns.
"He just did not give me a chance getting into three and then he didn't give me a chance getting into one," Hill said. "He just shoved me up the racetrack. I know he's in a must-win situation but still it's uncalled for that to happen. And then neither of the RCR guys make it to the Final Four, it's just frustrating. I'm pretty excited for him to go to his next adventure over at Gibbs and I don't have to put him with him no more. I can have Jesse Love as my teammate and hopefully he races me better, races me cleaner."
RCR’s Andy Petree was not happy with Sheldon Creed after that finish. #NASCAR pic.twitter.com/ev9FZ1s3aL
— Toby Christie (@Toby_Christie) October 28, 2023
Hill wasn't the only one upset with how Creed raced. Andy Petree, RCR's vice president of competition, appeared to give Creed an earful before Creed was interviewed by NBC Sports. Team owner Richard Childress later shared a very critical assessment of Creed with Dustin Long of NBC Sports.
"I've had drivers drive for me before but nobody as stupid as Sheldon Creed," Childress said.
With one race left in their relationship, it's clear Creed and Richard Childress Racing are eager to move on.
