Why dominant Homestead victory is a career-defining moment for Austin Hill

To this point in his Xfinity Series tenure, Hill has mostly been classified as a superspeedway specialist. Sure, he'd collected victories at Las Vegas and Pocono, but seven of his nine wins had come at the drafting tracks of Daytona and Atlanta. 

Hill usually runs inside the top 10 or top five at traditional ovals and road courses, but he has yet to put forth a truly dominant performance at a traditional oval in a crucial situation. 

That all changed on Saturday afternoon, when Hill swept the stage wins, led 82 of 200 laps and scored the maximum 60 points in a win that lifted him to Phoenix. 

It was a performance that has the potential to be career-defining for the 30-year-old from Winston, Georgia, who will be making his first Championship Four appearance on Nov. 9. 

Hill seems to have a home with Richard Childress Racing's Xfinity Series program at the moment, but should a Cup Series ride open up, this win - and the possible subsequent championship that could follow - would make Hill a much more sought-after driver. 

Hill has limited Cup Series experience and is a talented superspeedway racer. At 30 years old, he'd be on the older side for a modern Cup Series rookie, but if given the right opportunity, he could put together a serviceable Cup Series career. 

Even if the Cup Series isn't in the cards for Hill, the opportunity to win a NASCAR championship on Nov. 9 was made possible by Hill's dominant drive on Saturday. Glory and immortality await Hill should he take home the Xfinity Series championship in Phoenix, and he now has an extra week to prepare for the title race.