Michael McDowell hooked by Austin Hill in huge wreck at Watkins Glen International
On Saturday, the NASCAR Xfinity Series raced on the road course of Watkins Glen International. A huge crash brought out the red flag in the final stage of the race.
Watch the NASCAR crash video below.
With 9 to go, Michael McDowell and Austin Hill were in a battle for 2nd. They both ran wide out of turn five (the carousel).
Hill looked to the outside. But, this section of the track acts as a funnel. With the wall ahead, they ran out of room.
McDowell was hooked in the left rear and sent nose first into the wall. He then bounced off the wall, slid across the track and slammed the other wall before going back the other way across the track and hitting the wall for a third time in the same crash.
McDowell lost an entire wheel in the impact. William Sawalich’s car was totaled as he drove right into the bouncing wheel.
Multiple cars were collected and the track was blocked. Behind them, much of the field was unable to slow down before the crash scene.
16 cars were collected in the crash.
The red flag was thrown. NASCAR officials were on the scene in a hurry.
All drivers were able to climb from their cars. They will visit the care center for further evaluation, per NASCAR rules.
NASCAR made repairs on the wall before resuming the race.
Watkins Glen Results: August 9, 2025 (NASCAR Xfinity Series)
Austin Hill comments
Austin Hill stated over the radio, “I hope he’s okay. I’m sitting there at his left-rear quarter. I don’t get it.”
“The No. 11 had been struggling in front of me for a few laps. I thought if I got a big enough run, I might could get to his left side and kinda have positioning getting into turn six.”
“I know the grass was coming up. We ran out of real estate. I should have just lifted, got back in line and lived to fight another corner.”
“I hate it for everyone involved. That’s definitely not what I want to happened, coming back from what we got going on.”
“That was definitely just on me. Just a driver error, I’m just going for it here. I needed to make a move as fast as possible on the No. 11.”
Austin Hill is coming off a one-week suspension after hooking Aric Almirola at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. However, NASCAR called that a retaliation. This incident at Watkins Glen was in now way the same thing.
Watch the Austin Hill vs Aric Almirola video
Michael McDowell comments
“He was never going to get alongside me there,” Michael McDowell told the CW. “And, he wasn’t alongside, he just turned me.”
“It’s unfortunate there. I hate it for everybody at Kaulig Racing.”
McDowell added, “But, that’s racing. I was trying to do a good job.”
Update: The race has since concluded. Connor Zilisch drove to victory lane. He then fell in victory lane and was carried to the care center on a stretcher.
Connor Zilisch falls unconscious after NASCAR win (Video)
