Austin J. Hill Bio
Austin J. Hill (born February 16, 2007) is an American professional auto racing driver. A late-teen prospect from Ohio, Hill has built his career through the sports-car ladder before transitioning to NASCAR. He last competed part-time in the NASCAR Xfinity Series for Joey Gase Motorsports with Scott Osteen, driving the No. 35 Chevrolet.
Before reaching NASCAR’s national stage, Hill developed his craft in junior formulae and club racing, contesting the SCCA Pro Series, the Formula Regional Americas Championship, and a one-off start in the Trans-Am Series. That progression from Quarter Midgets to open-wheel cars positioned him as one of the more polished young drivers of his generation.
Early Life and Background
Austin J. Hill was born on February 16, 2007, in Frankfort, Ohio. He grew up in a family that supported his motorsports ambitions, with relatives helping to field his early race cars through a family-owned team. The Midwestern racing community offered Hill his first opportunities to compete at a young age.
Hill began racing Quarter Midgets at seven years old, the traditional entry point for many American oval and road-course talents. The discipline of those small machines introduced him to race craft, car control, and the demands of wheel-to-wheel competition. His family’s hands-on involvement kept his development moving forward as he moved from Quarter Midgets into full-size race cars.
Path to NASCAR
Hill’s path to NASCAR ran through the SCCA Pro Series, where he raced in both the F2000 and Atlantic categories for his family-owned team. He debuted in the SCCA Pro Series Formula Race Promotions in 2021, winning two F2000 races and finishing runner-up to Trent Walko, while also capturing the Atlantic Restricted Spec championship. That dual-track success marked him as a rising talent in American club racing.
He returned to the SCCA Pro Series in 2022, again contesting F2000 and Atlantic. Hill won two more F2000 events and finished second to JC Trahan in the standings, then dominated Atlantic by winning all but four races en route to the Open Class title. A third consecutive Atlantic crown followed in 2023, with six wins and twelve podiums.
Alongside his SCCA commitments, Hill ran the Formula Regional Americas Championship with his family-owned team, posting a best result of fifth at Mid-Ohio and VIR and ending the season 11th in points. He also made a one-off XGT-class debut in the Trans-Am Series at Road Atlanta in 2023. A month after obtaining his NASCAR license, Joey Gase Motorsports announced in February 2025 that Hill would run a part-time NASCAR Xfinity Series schedule beginning at Sonoma.
Austin J. Hill Career
Early Career (2021–2022)
Hill’s professional career began in 2021 with the SCCA Pro Series Formula Race Promotions, where he split his program between F2000 and Atlantic. He won two F2000 races and finished runner-up to Trent Walko in the season standings, while also taking the Atlantic Restricted Spec championship. The balance of speed and consistency immediately stood out.
In 2022, Hill stepped up his efforts across both classes. He added two more F2000 wins and again finished second in points, this time behind JC Trahan. In Atlantic, he missed only four races all season and secured the Open Class title. The back-to-back championships established him as a benchmark driver in SCCA’s ladder.
SCCA Atlantic and Formula Regional Breakthrough (2023)
Returning solely to Atlantic in 2023, Hill captured six wins and twelve podium finishes, earning his second consecutive Open Class title. The season reinforced his reputation as one of the series’ most complete drivers, capable of both winning races and managing championship weekends.
In parallel, Hill contested the Formula Regional Americas Championship with his family-owned team. He recorded a best finish of fifth at Mid-Ohio and VIR, placing 11th in the final standings in his only season in the championship. He also attempted a single Trans-Am start in the XGT class at Road Atlanta, retiring after nine laps and being classified fifth in class while ending the season seventh in XGT points.
Joey Gase Motorsports Era (2025–Present)
In 2024, Hill raced in the SCCA Hoosier Super Tour, finishing runner-up to Danny Steyn in the STL class and 14th in the SMX standings. On February 25, 2025, Joey Gase Motorsports with Scott Osteen confirmed that Hill would join the team for a part-time NASCAR Xfinity Series campaign beginning at Sonoma Raceway. He drove the No. 35 Chevrolet.
The move signaled Hill’s transition from open-wheel and sports-car racing to NASCAR’s stock-car ranks. Working with a smaller, owner-driver operation offered him a measured introduction to superspeedway and road-course competition within the series.
Driving Style and Strengths
Hill’s record across F2000, Atlantic, and Formula Regional points to a driver comfortable in open-wheel machinery, with sharp race craft on technical road courses. His championship-winning Atlantic seasons, marked by high winning percentages and double-digit podium tallies, reflect disciplined race management and qualifying pace. His road-course background should serve him well on the Xfinity Series’ varied schedule.
Notable Races and Milestones
Hill’s signature early results include his runner-up F2000 finishes behind Trent Walko and JC Trahan, his near-perfect 2022 Atlantic Open Class title, and his 2023 Atlantic repeat with six wins. His lone Trans-Am appearance came at Road Atlanta in 2023, while his NASCAR Xfinity Series debut was announced for Sonoma in 2025 with Joey Gase Motorsports.
Austin J. Hill Career Wins
Austin J. Hill’s verified win totals come primarily from SCCA Pro Series competition, where he secured multiple championships between 2021 and 2023. His NASCAR Xfinity Series career is just beginning, with his part-time 2025 program for Joey Gase Motorsports marking his first national NASCAR starts.
SCCA Atlantic Highlights
Hill won the Atlantic Restricted Spec championship in 2021 and then claimed back-to-back Atlantic Open Class titles in 2022 and 2023. He captured six Atlantic wins in his 2023 title run and missed only four races during his 2022 championship season. The two consecutive crowns represent the cornerstone of his résumé.
SCCA F2000 and Other Performances
Across his F2000 seasons, Hill won two races in both 2021 and 2022, finishing runner-up in points each year. He also placed fifth at Mid-Ohio and VIR in his only Formula Regional Americas campaign. A seventh-place result in the 2023 Trans-Am XGT standings rounded out a diverse developmental résumé.
Austin J. Hill Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Hill comes from a racing-oriented family that fields and supports his cars through a family-owned team. His relatives were directly involved in managing his F2000, Atlantic, and Formula Regional Americas programs, giving him continuity across his junior-formulae years. The close-knit operation shaped his rise through the SCCA ladder.
Personal Life
Despite sharing a name with the Georgia-born NASCAR driver Austin Hill, Austin J. Hill is not related to him. The Frankfort, Ohio native has kept most of his personal life outside the spotlight, focusing publicly on his racing career and his transition into NASCAR’s national series.
2025 Season Performance
Hill’s 2025 season centers on his part-time NASCAR Xfinity Series campaign with Joey Gase Motorsports with Scott Osteen, beginning at Sonoma Raceway. Driving the No. 35 Chevrolet, the schedule gives him the chance to gain stock-car experience on a mix of road courses and ovals while balancing his developmental sports-car work.
As a young driver stepping into NASCAR from open-wheel and SCCA competition, Hill’s primary goal in 2025 is learning superspeedway drafting, pit-road rhythm, and the longer race distances of the Xfinity Series. His technical road-course background should translate well to Sonoma and similar venues on the calendar.
Looking beyond 2025, Hill’s progress will help determine whether his part-time Xfinity program can expand, and whether his SCCA Atlantic and Formula Regional experience can evolve into a fuller NASCAR opportunity. The year is positioned as a foundational one for a driver still in the early stages of his national-series career.
