Sad News: Austin Dillon have been suspended by NASCAR intentionally wrecking Joey Logano, Denny Hamlin
Sunday night was supposed to represent a coronation of sorts for Austin Dillon.
The Richard Childress Racing driver has had a torrid past two years in the No. 3 car, entering Sunday night’s race at Richmond — the Cook Out 400 — sitting a paltry 32nd in points.
And yet, over the course of nearly 400 miles, he was faultless, climbing up the ladder to compete for a win with the likes of Cup Series standouts Joey Logano, Denny Hamlin and Tyler Reddick.
The circumstances were coming together seamlessly for the 34-year-old, who has Truck Series and Xfinity Series championships to his name but has struggled in recent times with his grandfather’s famous company. Then, madness struck.
With one lap remaining in overtime, Dillon — firmly in second place behind Logano — drove from four car lengths back of the Team Penske driver to run Logano off the track and into a 19th-place finish. Seconds later, with Hamlin appearing to have taken advantage of Dillon’s deliberate wreck of the No. 22 car, Dillon’s right rear hooked him into the wall, too.
The circumstances were coming together seamlessly for the 34-year-old, who has Truck Series and Xfinity Series championships to his name but has struggled in recent times with his grandfather’s famous company. Then, madness struck.
With one lap remaining in overtime, Dillon — firmly in second place behind Logano — drove from four car lengths back of the Team Penske driver to run Logano off the track and into a 19th-place finish. Seconds later, with Hamlin appearing to have taken advantage of Dillon’s deliberate wreck of the No. 22 car, Dillon’s right rear hooked him into the wall, too.
For his efforts, Dillon was rewarded with an all-important race win, ensuring his place in the Cup Series playoffs. He also drew the ire of those in the Cup Series garage.
Dillon’s exploits were teeming with all the theatrical zest the powers at be at NASCAR have embraced in the past. Some compared Dillon — a five-time race winner in NASCAR’s top flight — to Dale Earnhardt Sr., who was known to make brash and deeply unpopular decisions on the track if that could lead him to a win.
For Dillon’s counterparts, though, the implications of his victory carry a deeper weight. So much so that many are calling on the sport’s governing body to punish Dillon for his actions, be that by suspension or other means.
Here’s the latest on Dillon’s status as NASCAR investigates what went down at the “Action Track” on Sunday evening.
