Ross Chastain Admits Regret After Final-Lap Move That Cost Austin Hill at EchoPark Speedway

Ross Chastain acknowledged regret after a final-lap move that ended Austin Hill’s bid for a win in the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series Bennett Transportation & Logistics 250 at EchoPark Speedway on Feb. 21, 2026. The incident unfolded as Chastain, in the No. 32 Protect Your Melon Chevrolet, led a tight pack down the stretch at EchoPark Speedway in Hampton, Georgia.

Final lap collision changed the finish

Chastain’s move on the last circuit put him directly ahead of Austin Hill, who was driving the No. 21 Bennett Transportation Chevrolet, and the two made contact on the race’s decisive lap. That contact turned Hill’s near win into last-lap heartbreak in front of the Georgia crowd. Sheldon Creed, in the No. 00 Road Ranger Chevrolet, and Jesse Love, in the No. 2 Samsara Chevrolet, were immediately behind the pair as the finish tightened.

Ross Chastain led the late charge

Photographs from the event show Ross Chastain leading Austin Hill, Sheldon Creed and Jesse Love during the Bennett Transportation & Logistics 250 at EchoPark Speedway. The photo, taken on Feb. 21, 2026, captures Chastain’s No. 32 Protect Your Melon Chevrolet out front with Hill’s No. 21 closely shadowing him as the field pushed toward the checkered flag.

Immediate fallout and what comes next

The final-lap contact left a clear and immediate consequence for Austin Hill’s challenge, turning a promising run into a disappointing finish on the last lap of the Bennett Transportation & Logistics 250. Teams and drivers who contested the race will move forward from Hampton, Georgia, with postrace assessments and the next events on the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series schedule ahead.

The race at EchoPark Speedway on Feb. 21, 2026, remains notable for its dramatic final lap and the images of the No. 32 Protect Your Melon Chevrolet leading the pack, with the No. 21 Bennett Transportation Chevrolet close behind.