Austin Hill was handed a one-race suspension by NASCAR following a retaliation incident involving Aric Almirola at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Austin Dillon will step in for him this Saturday at Iowa Speedway.The No. 3 Richard Childress Racing Cup series driver will be at the helm of Hill's No. 21 Chevrolet for the HyVee Perks 250. The penalty follows an on-track incident where Hill hooked Almirola's right-rear quarter panel in the closing laps of the Xfinity Series race - an action that NASCAR deemed deliberate and in violation of the sport's code of conduct.As a result, Hill will miss the Iowa Xfinity Series race on Saturday, August 2 (4:30 p.m. ET on The CW) - a 250-lap showdown on the 0.875-mile short track. The race marks a pivotal point in the season, not only for Hill's playoff aspirations but for RCR's attempt to maintain competitive momentum.Austin Hill (21) leads in the NASCAR Xfinity Series Hy-Vee Perks 250 at Iowa Speedway. Source: GettyThe event will feature 38 entrants, including several part-time drivers like Ross Chastain (JR Motorsports), Justin Bonsignore (Joe Gibbs Racing), and Patrick Emerling (SS-Green Light Racing).NASCAR penalizes Austin Hill for behavioral code violationsRichard Childress and Austin Hill before the Pennzoil 250 at Indianapolis. Source: ImagnAustin Hill's suspension falls under Section 4.3. A and 4.4.B&D of the NASCAR Member Code of Conduct. Section 4.3. A refers to member conduct detrimental to stock car racing, while 4.4.B prohibits actions that compromise the safety of competitors, and 4.4.D classifies "wrecking or spinning another vehicle, whether or not that vehicle is removed from competition as a result" as a suspendable offense.The penalty, however, goes deeper than just a missed start. As per NASCAR rules introduced before the 2025 season, Hill will forfeit all 21 of his accumulated playoff points and will be barred from collecting additional playoff points for the rest of the regular season. Although he remains fifth in the driver standings with 650 points, Hill's suspension also necessitates a playoff eligibility waiver, without which his championship hopes could vanish before the postseason even begins.Hill's replacement, Austin Dillon, is no stranger to the RCR organization. The 2018 Daytona 500 winner and full-time Cup Series driver will handle double duty this weekend, bringing veteran experience to RCR's Xfinity program.What happened between Austin Hill and Aric Almirola?Austin Hill (21) and Aric Almirola (19) collide during the Pennzoil 250. Source: ImagnThe incident unfolded late in Saturday's Pennzoil 250 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. On lap 91 of 100, Austin Hill and Aric Almirola were fighting for fourth place. Almirola, driving the No. 19 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota, managed to pass Hill through Turn 3, unsettling the RCR Chevrolet and forcing Hill to avoid a spin.Though he saved it, Hill's No. 21 Richard Chidress Racing Chevrolet darted back down the track on the corner exit, making sharp contact with the right-rear quarter panel of Almirola's car. The impact sent Almirola into the outside wall at high speed - a part of the Indianapolis circuit unprotected by SAFER barriers - while Hill spun into the path of Sheldon Creed's No. 00 Ford.After a trip to the infield care center and a post-race interview with The CW, Almirola's frustration was clear."It was definitely intentional. He blocked me three times… I got him loose and he just turned left and hooked me in the right rear... That was violent, to be totally honest. That's one of the hardest hits I've taken in my NASCAR career," he said.He compared the impact to a 2017 incident at Kansas Speedway that resulted in a T5 vertebra compression fracture. While the outcome this time was less dire, the danger of an intentional right-rear hook on an oval track with limited SAFER coverage left little room for leniency.NASCAR responded quickly, holding Hill on pit road for five laps during the race for "reckless driving." However, the suspension came three days later.Hill himself did not speak to the media after the race. Following the initial contact from Almirola, Hill told his crew that he was struggling to regain control of the car. Team owner Richard Childress, however, did not agree."Hell no," Childress told reporters when asked if Hill deserved a suspension. "They didn't do a damn thing to the 2 car (Austin Cindric) when he wrecked Ty (Dillon) and admitted to it — drove him in the right rear and wrecked him at COTA. It's who you are. We're a blue-collar team. They give us trouble all the time."Austin Hill's suspension comes with competitive ramifications. He currently sits third in playoff points with 21 - a tally now erased. Worse, he's barred from earning any more through the regular season finale. That means even if Hill earns a waiver to remain playoff-eligible, his postseason path will be considerably harder.Without playoff points to cushion each elimination round, he'll need to win or finish consistently near the top to advance. RCR, meanwhile, faces a test of organizational discipline, as it remains 124 points behind leaders JR Motorsports.