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Austin Dillon has lost his automatic Cup Series playoff berth for Sunday’s win at Richmond after wrecking both Denny Hamlin and Joey Logano on the final lap, NASCAR announced Wednesday.
The penalty was announced as a response to Dillon’s last-lap actions on Sunday, including spinning out then-leader Logano and Hamlin through turns 3 and 4 to take the lead. NASCAR cited Section 12.3.2.1.b of the NASCAR rule book: “Race finishes must be unencumbered by violation(s) of the NASCAR Rules or other action(s) detrimental to stock car auto racing or NASCAR as determined in the sole discretion of NASCAR.”
Dillon will keep the win in the record book, but his win won’t count toward the playoffs. Dillon will also be docked 25 points each in the drivers and owners standings. Dillon will fall to 31st in the regular season points standings, meaning he’ll need a win in one of the final three regular season races to make the playoffs. Richard Childress Racing will appeal the penalty.
“Richard Childress Racing is very disappointed in NASCAR’s penalty against the No. 3 team,” the team tweeted on Wednesday. “We do not agree with the decision that was made and plan to appeal.”
Richard Childress Racing is very disappointed in NASCAR’s penalty against the No. 3 team. We do not agree with the decision that was made and plan to appeal.
— RCR (@RCRracing) August 14, 2024
NASCAR Senior VP of Competition Elton Sawyer said to NASCAR.com that the “totality” of Dillon’s chaotic final two turns at Richmond on the final lap led to the sanctioning body’s penalty decision.
“So, as we look through all of that data, we came to the conclusion that a line had been crossed,” Sawyer said. “Our sport has been based going for many, many years, forever, on good, hard racing. Contact has been acceptable. We felt like, in this case, that the line was crossed.”
Dillon’s spotter Brandon Benesch is suspended for the next three races for yelling “Wreck him!” on the team radio during the last-lap sequence on Sunday.
Dillon spun Logano after driving hard into the final corners on the final lap while running in second behind the No. 22 Ford. After making contact with Logano, Dillon washed up the track, then back down to hit the passing Hamlin in the right-rear, sending the No. 11 Toyota hard into the outside wall. Dillon was the leader at the time of caution flag, giving him the win.
REACTION: What Denny Hamlin said about Austin Dillon, NASCAR after wreck-filled Richmond finish
MORE REACTION: Joey Logano calls Austin Dillon ‘piece of crap’ for late wreck in NASCAR Richmond win
EVEN MORE REACTION: What Austin Dillon said about wrecking Joey Logano, Denny Hamlin to win NASCAR Richmond race
Logano had a strong reaction to the crash, burning his tires in front of Dillon’s pit stall before calling the move “chicken (expletive)” during a postrace interview. Logano was fined $50,000 on Wednesday.
Hamlin shared a big-picture perspective, criticizing NASCAR for inconsistent officiating of contact with intent.
To that end, it was not a secret of Dillon’s intent on the final lap on Sunday. Dillon admitted postrace that he wanted to move Logano but called the move against Hamlin as a “reaction”.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Austin Dillon loses automatic playoff berth for NASCAR Richmond win
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