Although NASCAR chose not to impose penalties after last week’s collision between Austin Hill and Shane van Gisbergen at Chicagoland, officials made it clear that such incidents must cease. Both Chevrolet drivers were summoned for a private hauler meeting before the start of the weekend’s track activities at Echopark Speedway in Atlanta on Saturday.

The most recent chapter in the ongoing rivalry between Hill and van Gisbergen unfolded last Sunday. On lap 48, van Gisbergen’s No. 97 Trackhouse Chevrolet made contact with Hill’s Richard Childress Racing No. 33 Chevrolet while attempting an aggressive pass through turns three and four. The move sent Hill’s car into the wall.

Team owner Richard Childress expressed his frustration over the team radio as Hill returned to the pits, saying, “Somebody should talk to NASCAR about that; that was blatant.”

Hill also voiced his anger on the radio, insisting that the move was deliberate. Despite several attempts by his spotter, Derek Kneeland, to calm him down and remind him to “think of the bigger picture,” Hill rejoined the track under caution and sideswiped van Gisbergen before retiring from the race. Van Gisbergen continued and finished in 25th position.

When NASCAR released its penalty report on Tuesday, neither driver was penalised. However, NASCAR’s Vice President of Racing Communications, Mike Forde, later said on the official “Hauler Talk” podcast that officials had determined van Gisbergen’s contact with Hill was “100% intentional and penalty-worthy.” This led to NASCAR calling both drivers in for a discussion before the Atlanta race weekend.

After the closed-door meeting, van Gisbergen spoke with the media, addressing questions about the mediation and his first experience being summoned by NASCAR for an official discussion.

This was one of two driver meetings NASCAR conducted over the weekend, with Zane Smith and Carson Hocevar also called in after their own incident at Chicagoland.

“I’ve been around long enough to understand how things work, though I’m still learning,” van Gisbergen said at the Atlanta media centre. “It’s my first time in the hauler. One of us seems more remorseful and ready to move on than the other. It’s difficult. I don’t have much to say, but I’m fine. Still, I’ve got more to lose, and he doesn’t. So, who knows?”

When asked if he was referring to himself as the remorseful one, van Gisbergen replied, “Of course.”

He continued, “I was racing hard, and it didn’t go as planned. I went in aggressively, hoping to get inside him, but it didn’t work. I never wanted to damage a car or escalate things. I’m not even sure this is a rivalry, but over the past three years we’ve never seemed to race well together. I don’t want to take it further—I’ve got too much to lose.”

This incident marked van Gisbergen’s first official encounter with NASCAR regarding intentional contact, but Hill has a history of such situations. Nearly a year ago, Hill received one of NASCAR’s toughest penalties following a clash with Aric Almirola during the Xfinity Series race at Indianapolis, held on the same weekend as the Brickyard 400.

After Almirola caused him to lose control by hitting his rear bumper, Hill retaliated by striking Almirola’s quarter panel, spinning him out. During that race, NASCAR issued Hill a five-lap penalty.

Post-race, NASCAR went further by suspending Hill and stripping him of the playoff points he had earned during the regular season.

When asked by Lee Spencer of Sirius XM about what comes next, Hill responded, “We’re going to go race. I’m looking forward to it.”

Hill added that he hopes this marks the end of the ongoing tension.

Van Gisbergen, discussing the meeting, explained that the freedom to race hard and settle disputes on track was part of what attracted him to NASCAR after his time in Supercars. However, he doubts Hill has let go of their issues. “What I like about this sport is that drivers can sort things out themselves when it gets to that point. For me, it’s reached that stage—but for him, it hasn’t.”

Highlighting that there’s still tension between the two, van Gisbergen criticised Hill’s mindset. “He’s the kind of guy who feels he has to get the last laugh or strike last. He made that clear. It is what it is. I try to race clean and focus on my own job, but I guess he’s got his own agenda.”

Austin Hill will compete on Saturday night in the O’Reilly Series, where he’s in contention for the championship, and again on Sunday in the No. 33 RCR Chevrolet, the same car he took over after Kyle Busch’s passing earlier this year.

This weekend marks Hill’s second Cup Series start at his most successful track—Atlanta—where he has secured five wins in nine O’Reilly Auto Parts Series attempts. He qualified 30th.

Van Gisbergen will race only on Sunday at the track where he previously recorded his best oval finish of sixth, before improving to a fifth-place result earlier this summer at Nashville—his first-ever top five on an oval track. He will start Sunday’s race from 12th position.