A new NASCAR rule just cost Austin Hill every single one of his playoff points. The penalty was issued after a wreck involving Aric Almirola at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, making it the first time this rule has been enforced.NASCAR journalist Jeff Gluck shared the information on X. The post explained that Austin Hill would lose all of his playoff points, both current and any earned before the playoffs begin, under a new rule introduced ahead of the 2025 season.Gluck, who reshared an earlier update on Hill’s suspension, added that this is the first instance of NASCAR enforcing the rule. He added a caption to his post that read,Austin Hill loses all of his playoff points for the regular season, both present and future. He will start the playoffs with zero. This is the first time this has happened with NASCAR's new rule created in the preseason.Hill was suspended for one race after intentionally wrecking Aric Almirola during the closing laps of Saturday’s Pennzoil 250 at Indianapolis. NASCAR determined that Hill deliberately turned Almirola’s car into the wall after an earlier on-track incident.Richard Childress Racing, Hill’s team, announced it would not appeal the penalty and that Austin Dillon would replace Hill in the No. 21 car at Iowa Speedway. With the one-race suspension, Austin Hill needed a waiver to remain playoff eligible.However, under the new rule implemented before the 2025 season, he also loses all his playoff points. That includes the 21 points he had already banked. Hill will now start the playoffs at zero, regardless of how many more races he wins or stage points he earns before then.The move is a heavy blow. Austin Hill, who is currently fifth in the Xfinity Series standings, has had three wins this season and was seen as a top contender. The 21 playoff points were a cushion that would have helped him through the early rounds of the postseason. Losing them resets the playing field entirely, and Hill now faces a much tougher road if he wants to advance deep into the championship battle.Austin Hill says he didn’t mean to wreck Aric Almirola: “I couldn't hang onto it”Austin Hill was racing Aric Almirola hard for fourth place when the wreck happened at Indianapolis. The crash occurred on Lap 91 of 100, just as the race was reaching its final stretch.Hill’s No. 21 Chevy got loose in Turn 3 as Almirola was pressuring him from behind. After momentarily correcting the car, Hill veered into the rear right of Almirola’s No. 19 Toyota, sending both vehicles into the wall.While NASCAR called it intentional, Hill said otherwise. As shared by NASCAR insider Jordan Bianchi on X, Hill told his team over the radio,“I couldn't hang onto it; I was not trying to right-rear him (Aric Almirola).”Still, the officials saw it differently. Austin Hill was held for five laps in the pits during the race as punishment for rough driving. Almirola, who slammed into the wall nose-first, was done for the day and later called the move “definitely intentional.” Hill, meanwhile, declined to speak to media after finishing 34th.Sheldon Creed, also caught up in the wreck, managed to continue. The incident was part of a chaotic end to the Pennzoil 250, which Connor Zilisch won—making it his third straight victory and the 100th for JRM in Xfinity Series history. Ironically, Hill had delivered RCR their 100th Xfinity win earlier this year at Martinsville.