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NASCAR makes penalty decision after Austin Hill flips off fans in Talladega win

by: John Jamison10 hours ago
Syndication: The Indianapolis Star
Richard Childress talks with NASCAR Xfinity Series driver Austin Hill (21) on Saturday, July 26, 2025, ahead of the Pennzoil 250 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Austin Hill caused a stir after taking the checkered flag at Talladega this weekend, flipping the bird in response to a group of fans doing the same. NASCAR had no penalties to report today, meaning the driver of the RCR No. 21 Chevy is officially in the clear and won’t be fined.

Surprisingly, that result is exactly what the instigating NASCAR fan wanted. X user Dr. Chimp‘s original post is what kicked off the controversy in the first place, showing Hill firing a middle-finger salute straight to the camera.

In a follow-up post on October 19th, the same X user would clarify the Austin Hill situation.

“To clarify some context to the picture:
Yes he flipped us off
Yes we did it first
Yes we thought it was hilarious
No he shouldn’t be punished
I respect the gesture and it adds to the needed personality the field needs
I may hate him, but I love to hate him cuz that’s sports”

Dale Earnhardt Jr. sounds off on Austin Hill shooting NASCAR fans the bird

Dale Earnhardt Jr. responded to the Austin Hill situation during his “Ask Jr.” segment on this week’s Dale Jr. Download. And to somehow double down on the strangely wholesome nature of a NASCAR driver and a group of fans having a middle-finger war, he supports all parties involved.

“Let’s be clear… This is Austin Hill driving by the grandstands. He did not drive down the straightaway with his middle finger in the air the whole way. He’s flipping a guy off. And he’s looking at the camera, and he’s responding to some fans… probably sitting there double-birding him. And he’s just giving it back, and I agree. We need to embrace this to an extent.”

It’s no secret that Austin Hill is seen as something of a villain to much of the NASCAR-enjoying world. Whether or not he has fully embraced that role yet remains to be seen. But this Talladega demonstration seems to reinforce it. And, as Dale Jr. believes, it does “add some color” to a sport that many believe is suffering from a personality crisis.