Austin Hill leads race-high laps at Daytona in Coke Zero Sugar 400

Austin Hill finished 27th in Saturday's Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona International Speedway after leading a race-high 27 laps. The Richard Childress Racing driver started from the third position and remained in contention throughout the event before falling back in traffic following the final pit cycle. This performance comes as Hill prepares for his full-time move to the NASCAR Cup Series in 2027. He currently competes in the O'Reilly Auto Parts Series and enters the upcoming Chase at Darlington Raceway as the fifth seed. The race at Daytona included a tribute to the late Kyle Busch, who previously drove the same No. 33 machine before his death in May. Fans recognized parallels between Hill's performance and a silent lap observed earlier this year to honor Busch.

• 5:28 PMYahoo Sports — Austin Hill Has Strong NASCAR Cup Showing at Daytona