So far, it’s working. The 18-year-old racecar driver is still going full throttle toward his dreams while also building a foundation for his future beyond motorsports. “It’s like I have a full-time job, but I’m going to school at the same time,” he said. “The more classes I take at Newark, the more I can apply what I’ve learned toward racing.”
NASCAR racer keeps career, college on track
Most students go to college hoping to get their career on track. Austin Hill is hoping Ohio State Newark doesn’t limit his career on the track.
Hill has long been a student of the sport. Growing up, he astutely observed races at the dirt track near his family’s farm in Frankfort. It paid off when — at seven years of age — he hopped behind the wheel himself. After just a few races, Hill was winning handily. That early success turned heads and turned into dozens of championships over the next few years.
After dominating on dirt, the youngster transitioned to asphalt. He began racing year-round by age 11. Hill displayed the drive to excel — and he took on more than merely driving. “I started doing the maintenance on my go karts too,” he said, “changing out gears, sprockets, the oil, all that. It made me appreciate racing even more, and I learned if I did a good job, I was rewarded with wins at the track.”
Thus, they kept coming. Hill estimates he won 75% of his go kart races the next year. Then he moved into winged formula cars and won a championship in three consecutive seasons.
Along the way, he became the youngest driver — at age 14 — to ever reach the podium at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. “It’s my biggest accomplishment so far,” he proudly proclaimed. Earning his NASCAR license — which he did in March — is a close second. “That’s pretty much every driver’s goal,” he added. “NASCAR doesn’t approve everyone, though, and not every driver who has the license gets called to do races.”
But this up-and-comer did. The initial call came in July, during Hill’s Caribbean vacation. He left early and flew to Sonoma, California, for his first race with the NASCAR Xfinity series. A month later, he went to Watkins Glen, New York, for another. “There, I started 38th and finished 20th, even with a broken sway bar,” he said. “I felt really good about that.”
Hill ended his 2025 season in October, in the shadow of NASCAR’s headquarters and hall of fame. His Xfinity series race at Charlotte Motor Speedway was “to me, definitely the biggest deal of my season,” he said. “But we didn't end up qualifying. We were close.” Still, 2025 qualifies as a success. Hill’s breakout season showed he belongs — and he’s basking in the opportunity to keep doing what he loves. “As long as I’m racing, I'm happy,” he said.
On Track Toward What’s Next
While it’s clear he prioritizes seat time, his education has never taken a backseat. “Most people trying to make a motorsports career don't go to college,” he stated, “but I want to do both.” Hill chose Ohio State Newark for its cost and cutting-edge degree programs. He’s currently a freshman engineering technology major, sharpening the hands-on technical skills he started building as an 11-year-old working on go karts. He has also kicked the tires on the business program. That degree would come in handy as he negotiates sponsorships, or if he ever starts his own racing team.
Just like a pit crew, Ohio State Newark is helping Hill move smoothly toward the finish line. “My professors are very supportive and work with me if I need to be gone for a race,” he said. “They care about actually teaching me rather than just seeing me pass, and I like that I get a close-knit relationship with them.” Hill intends to stay at Ohio State Newark all four years, which he can do through either degree program.
This speedster is strapped in for whatever turns the journey might bring. He’s hoping a more permanent full-season contract comes soon. In that case, he would raise the red flag and halt his race toward a degree. But now that he has started, he certainly plans to finish. “It all just depends on where motorsports takes me,” Hill said.
“I don't want to miss any racing, but I also don't want to miss out on an education if it doesn't work out. I need a backup plan, and Ohio State Newark is helping me get there.”