NASCAR’s Austin Dillon receives a ruling on final appeals for the Richmond incident
Despite making a second, final appeal, the penalties to Richard Childress Racing’s Austin Dillon have been upheld. NASCAR took Dillon’s playoff eligibility from his Richmond victory away as well as a 25-point penalty, and those penalties will remain.
Austin Dillon had a great night at Richmond a few weeks back. He did almost everything right. Last lap, final two turns, he gives the hardest “bump” and run ever to Joey Logano. Then he hooked Denny Hamlin into the wall.
NASCAR felt that he stepped over a line. The win was earned in a way that was detrimental to stock car racing. A three-member group of the National Motorsports Appeals Panel upheld Dillon’s penalties last week.
This week, the final appeals officer Bill Mullis, owner of Langley Speedway, upheld the penalty in a final ruling.
The decision from Mullis was reached through use of SMT Data and other factors.
“In reaching the above decision, the FAO provided the following explanation: ‘The data presented today from SMT and IDAS systems indicate that more likely than not a rule violation did occur at Richmond Raceway on 8-11-24 by the No. 3 RCR car on the last lap of the race. (Rule 12.3.2.1.B Eligibility, race finishes must be unencumbered by violations of the NASCAR rules or other actions detrimental to stock car auto racing or NASCAR as determined in the sole discretion of NASCAR.)’”
Austin Dillon sits 29th in the season standings. He officially has a win, but it does not count toward playoff eligibility. On the season, he has three top-10 finishes and three DNFs with 35 total laps led.
Austin Dillon loses final appeal
Right now, the only way that Austin Dillon is going to be a member of the 16-driver playoff field is to win at Darlington. One race remains to get the job done and that is that. Richmond was a big moment, but it all got wiped away thanks to those last-lap antics.
This week, Dillon’s teammate Kyle Busch was in a similar position. Coming down to the line with Harrison Burton at Daytona, Busch needed a win to make the NASCAR Playoffs. What did he do? He raced to the line clean and didn’t wreck a driver, let alone two.
NASCAR put their foot down with Austin Dillon. By all of the comments from drivers, owners, and many fans – it was the right call. No one is trying to see Phoenix and the championship come down to a pinball move off of two other cars to the line.
This decision was not made lightly. NASCAR understands that this sets a precedent. The other drivers seem to understand that as well.
