The Ag-Pro 300 Xfinity Series race at Talladega Superspeedway turned into an intense spectacle filled with last-lap chaos, crashes, and an incredibly close finish — everything fans typically expect from a superspeedway event. As Connor Zilisch crashed into the inside wall, a three-way battle for the lead broke out between Austin Hill, Jesse Love, and Jeb Burton.
Those are tough angles to make a call. Wish there was a more definitive view. Feel for Jeb Burton for sure. And there’s still got to be a better way to end these races.
— Jeff Gluck (@jeff_gluck) April 26, 2025
Since the field had already taken the white flag, meaning the next flag would end the race, the situation became critical. After the caution lights flashed, NASCAR officials faced a difficult decision: determine who was ahead at the moment of caution, Hill or Burton. After a brief delay, race control announced that the driver of the #21 car, Austin Hill, was the winner. It was a razor-thin margin, and Jeb Burton was visibly emotional following the announcement.
In his post-race interview, Burton expressed frustration, insisting he was ahead when the caution came out. He referenced a similar experience the previous week at Rockingham where a caution impacted his position negatively. Reviewing the available footage, Burton argued that his nose was clearly in front of Hill’s when the caution flag appeared. He stated that he and his team would look into filing a protest if possible, questioning NASCAR’s decision-making based on the evidence provided.
Veteran motorsports journalist Jeff Gluck weighed in on social media, acknowledging that it was a tough call due to unclear camera angles and expressing sympathy for Burton. Gluck also voiced a broader concern, suggesting NASCAR needs a more definitive way to determine race endings under caution.
Support for Burton’s viewpoint grew quickly among fans. Many pointed out inconsistencies in NASCAR’s decisions, especially referencing events earlier in the year — such as at Daytona — where the handling of last-lap incidents differed from race to race. Some fans felt that the incident involving Zilisch should not have resulted in a caution at all, given it was a single-car crash with no immediate danger to the rest of the field.
Frustration among fans extended to the use of technology as well. NASCAR’s reliance on scoring loops and its reaction time when throwing cautions were criticized. Some fans believed that Hill was able to pull even with Burton because of a delayed caution call, making the final ruling unfair. There were also calls for improved technology to make such decisions clearer and more consistent.
Several fans noted a recurring theme: whenever an underdog like Jeb Burton has a chance to win, controversies seem to arise that work against them. They referenced past incidents, like the Charlotte Roval race where Parker Kligerman lost a potential victory due to a late caution triggered by a crash that wasn’t initially visible to officials.
Suggestions were also made to revise how NASCAR handles late-race incidents. Many argued that clear, single-car wrecks with no traffic following should not automatically result in a caution, particularly when a clean and competitive finish is underway.
Ultimately, the controversy over who truly won at Talladega remains a heated debate among fans and observers, with widespread belief that NASCAR’s call may have deprived Jeb Burton of a deserved victory.