NASCAR stepped in after the latest incident involving Austin Hill and Shane van Gisbergen, bringing both drivers together for a private meeting at EchoPark Speedway ahead of the Quaker State 400. The discussion came after weeks of on-track contact between the two, including last weekend’s crash at Chicagoland Speedway that ended Hill’s race.
NASCAR reviewed the latest incident but decided not to issue penalties to either driver. Instead, officials arranged a face-to-face meeting inside the NASCAR hauler on Saturday, July 11, hoping to prevent further problems. The meeting lasted about 17 minutes before both drivers returned to their teams. Hill later spoke with reporters about the discussion, while van Gisbergen briefly shared his thoughts before leaving the area.
Austin Hill Discusses the NASCAR Meeting with Shane van Gisbergen
After leaving the NASCAR hauler, Austin Hill gave a short update on what happened during the meeting with Shane van Gisbergen.
“Just the incident, and how to move forward. That’s all,” Hill said when asked what the discussion covered.
When reporters asked why van Gisbergen had described the meeting as “interesting,” Hill replied, “All of it. I mean, NASCAR let us know what we needed to do going forward.”
Hill also confirmed that he and van Gisbergen spoke directly during the meeting. When a reporter joked about earlier comments involving “grunting,” Hill made it clear that the two drivers actually talked through the situation.
Asked whether the meeting had settled the issue between them, Hill responded, “I sure hope so.”
He ended his media session by looking ahead to the race weekend instead of focusing on the past.
“We’re going to go race, and I’m looking forward to it,” Hill said.
NASCAR Steps in after Austin Hill and Shane van Gisbergen Incidents
The meeting followed several run-ins between Austin Hill and Shane van Gisbergen over recent weeks.
The most significant incident occurred on Lap 48 at Chicagoland Speedway, when Shane van Gisbergen’s No. 97 Chevrolet struck the rear of Austin Hill’s No. 33 Chevrolet. The contact sent Hill into the outside wall, ending his race early.
After reviewing video footage and telemetry data, NASCAR decided not to penalize either driver.
Officials instead chose to bring both drivers together to reduce tensions before they returned to competition. Hill drives the No. 33 Chevrolet for Richard Childress Racing, while van Gisbergen races the No. 97 Chevrolet for Trackhouse Racing in the NASCAR Cup Series.
The latest meeting followed earlier incidents between the two drivers at Pocono and Naval Base Coronado this season, as NASCAR worked to prevent the rivalry from escalating further.
Austin Hill shifts focus to the Quaker State 400
While Hill expressed hope that the meeting would help both drivers move forward, he admitted he could not explain why they had repeatedly found themselves involved in on-track incidents.
“That’s a great question. I don’t have an answer for you,” Hill said.
Van Gisbergen offered only a brief reaction after the meeting, calling it “interesting.” He also suggested that one driver left the discussion showing more remorse than the other, though he did not identify which driver he meant.
NASCAR announced no additional penalties or sanctions after the meeting.
Both Austin Hill and Shane van Gisbergen are set to compete in Sunday’s Quaker State 400 at EchoPark Speedway. Their behavior on the track will show whether NASCAR’s meeting achieved its goal of easing tensions between the two drivers.
For now, Hill’s message remains simple.
“We’re going to go race,” he said, making it clear that his focus is now on the competition ahead.
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