Dale Earnhardt Jr. encourages Austin Hill to lean into NASCAR's villain persona citing Denny Hamlin's approach

On the latest episode of the Dale Jr. Download podcast on YouTube, former NASCAR Cup Series driver Dale Earnhardt Jr. talked about Austin Hill. During the podcast, Dale Jr. encouraged the Richard Childress Racing driver to lean into the Xfinity Series' villain persona just like Joe Gibbs Racing driver Denny Hamlin in the Cup Series.

The governing body suspended Hill for intentionally wrecking Aric Almirola at Indianapolis Motor Speedway while the duo was running for a top-five finish. After Almirola pushed Hill up the track, he retaliated and hooked Almirola's car from behind, sending him into the outside walls. The RCR driver was penalized with five laps during the race and finished in P34, followed by a one-race suspension.

However, coming out of his suspension, Austin Hill wrecked Michael McDowell at Watkins Glen and caused a 16-car wreck on the track, bringing out a red flag. Reflecting on the same, Dale Earnhardt Jr. encouraged Hill and stated:

"Austin Hill. Um yeah, just I don't you know, racing hard. Austin Hill is not going to give an inch. And even after a one-week suspension, he come back to let everybody know this is how you're going to get it. Um, and so you better give me my, you better give me my car links. You better give me my space, or hell, there's going to be hell to pay." [54:27 onwards]

Continuing further, Dale Earnhardt Jr. supported his statement and said:

"What happens is if you don't embrace it, then you don't eventually get respected, right? People just think, "Man, you're just a s**t individual. Yeah. But if you're like, "Oh, you want me to be the villain?" Fine. I'm fu**ing the villain. And then that—then you can at least go, "Man, I don't love what he does, but I got to respect the owning it and and wearing the hat."

He ain't afraid...when Denny—um, and Denny and him are not the same, but I reference Denny because Denny was, Denny gets out of his car at Bristol and says, "I beat your favorite driver." One of the greatest lines anyone has ever said immediately post-race," Dale Earnhardt Jr. added. [55:27]

Austin Hill currently ranks fifth in the Xfinity Series points table with 690 points to his credit. Additionally, he has secured three wins, 13 top-ten finishes, and 10 top-ten finishes in 22 starts this season.

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Dale Earnhardt Jr. shared his opinion about the NextGen cars in NASCAR

Former NASCAR Xfinity Series champion Dale Earnhardt Jr. is also among the NASCAR personalities who are not very fond of the seventh-generation cars. Dale Jr.'s opinion unites with Denny Hamlin, and both believe the NextGen cars have an absence of tire wear and lack passing capabilities.

Following the same, the Kannapolis native stated (via Dale Jr. Download):

"I want to say that I don’t love the Next Gen car, but it’s here. I don’t love the NextGen car. It’s a sports car. It’s not a NASCAR stock car, but it’s here.“

According to a report, the NextGen cars cost around $350,000 with all of their components, and the Cup Series teams have invested a lot in them since they were introduced in 2022. Team Penske driver Joey Logano claimed the championship title in the NextGen car debut season.

That being said, the next race of the 2025 season is scheduled for Saturday, August 16, 2025, at Richmond Raceway. USA, MRN, HBO Max, and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Ch. 90 will broadcast the 400-lap Cook Out 400 at 7:30 pm.