Penalty to No. 3 Cup team upheld after final appeal

Final Appeals Officer Bill Mullis upheld the penalty levied on the No. 3 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet following a last-lap incident on Aug. 11 at Richmond Raceway.

In reaching the above decision, the Final Appeals Officer 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 made contact with Joey Logano and Denny Hamlin in the final turns en route to his win at the Virginia short track. Dillon and the No. 3 team were subsequently dropped by NASCAR officials from the Cup Series Playoffs, with the race win not counting toward postseason eligibility.

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The team appealed the ruling, and while No. 3 team spotter Brandon Benesch saw his suspension reduced from three races to one, the National Motorsports Appeals Panel upheld the remainder of the infraction earlier this month. The panel agreed with NASCAR’s ruling that the totality of Dillon’s actions was significant enough to warrant penalties; the win remained, but Dillon‘s Cup Series Playoffs berth was revoked.

The penalty violated Sections 4.4.B NASCAR Member Code of Conduct Penalty Options and Guidelines; 10.1. A General Procedure; 12.3.2.1.B Eligibility. Benesch was cited for violating 4.4.D and 10.1.A. Dillon and the No. 3 team were also docked 25 points in the drivers’ and owners’ standings in the penalty handed down Aug. 14.

Richard Childress Racing elected to appeal the decision to the Final Appeals Officer, who presided over deliberations and came to the decision to uphold the ruling.

Dillon‘s No. 3 Chevrolet currently sits 29th in points and remains outside of the 16-driver Cup Series Playoffs field heading into Sunday‘s regular-season finale at Darlington Raceway (6 p.m. ET, USA, MRN Radio, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, NBC Sports App).