"I can rough you up two times worse" - When Austin Hill discussed his tough upbringing while reflecting on incident with Johnny Sauter

Austin Hill, the driver of the #21 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet, has shown a willingness to stand up for himself when necessary. He discussed one such instance during a guest appearance on Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s podcast.

Hill was a guest on the Dale Jr. Download in October of last year. The eight-time CRAFTSMAN Truck Series winner recounted a feud with 2016 Truck Series champion Johnny Sauter that led the former taking a stand for himself.

Hill said he got fed up with the way Sauter was racing him in a Truck Series event at the Iowa Speedway, and drew a parallel to a lesson he learned growing up.

"I was raised that if you're going to bully somebody, if you're going to mess with them, and you're going to try to rough them up, I can rough you up two times worse if I need to," Hill said. (4:49 onwards)

After Hill hit Sauter well enough in the left rear of his truck to spin him around, Sauter retaliated by going after Hill under the caution period. It was then that Hill said he was ready for a physical confrontation with the champion driver.

"I was ready to throw down that day," Hill said. "Those were one of those first moments where I was mad. Very mad." (5:24 onwards)

From that day on, however, Hill believes his actions helped gain respect within the garage area. He recalls having a conversation with Sauter later on after the Iowa incident where the two essentially made amends.

"It was a few races later, it might've been later in the season, we actually are in the same truck together doing a ridearound," Hill said. "It always happens that way. I think it was at one of the road courses. ... We're not really saying much at first. He [Sauter] says something about, 'Man, these young kids, they don't race with any respect,' and I was like, 'Man, I agree 100 percent. These kids don't race with respect' From then on, we were cool." (5:40 onwards)

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Austin Hill made his first Championship 4 appearance in 2024

Amid his third full-time NASCAR Xfinity Series season, Austin Hill had the opportunity to win a championship for the first time. However, Hill ended up finishing fourth among the championship drivers.

Hill is a 10-time race winner in the Xfinity Series with four of his victories coming in 2024. One of those four victories was the playoff race at the Homestead-Miami Speedway, which secured his place in the championship. Hill will be back behind the wheel for his fourth season at RCR in 2025.