After a few days of waiting, NASCAR finally made an announcement as to what they are doing about Austin Dillon’s mad dash to the checkered flag at Richmond.
Essentially, Dillon can keep the win and the trophy, but NASCAR decided he went too far in his desire to get into the playoffs. His win will not count as an automatic berth into the playoffs and he and RCR lose 25 points.
As disappointed as RCR (who will most likely appeal this) and Dillon may be, they had to know that this was not acceptable racing behavior.
NASCAR is the body who set this all in motion with the “win and you’re in” playoff system. You wind up with drivers making crazy moves (Aric Almirola running the wall) to get that win late in the season as opportunities run out.
NASCAR let Almirola keep his win and let it count for the playoffs but told the garage, “Let’s not do this again.”
Dillon, who was actually having a decent race for a change, was so desperate to get the all-important win that he took out Logano and Hamlin while his spotter was screaming for him to hammer down and “wreck him.”
NASCAR just couldn’t ignore the facts. It was as plain as Clint Bowyer purposely spinning out to change the outcome of a race.
You just can’t dive bomb into a corner and let the guy in front of you be the reason you make it out of the corner. If Logano had not been there to slow up Dillon, he would never have come out of that corner in one piece. In fact, he was so out of position due to the speed he carried that he then took out Denny Hamlin.
I am not sure how they know, but Elton Sawyer claimed that all the driver’s know where “the line” is when it comes to acceptable driving.
Good, cause I am not.
What is an illegal right rear hook vs an illegal right rear hook?
NASCAR claims it is the “totality” of events.
Does that mean the spotter cheering him on to wreck his opponents? That Hamlin was also taken out? The dive bomb into the corner with wild abandon?
If the spotter had been calm and normal and Hamlin not taken out, would driving through Logano been OK?
Maybe more explanation will come out in the appeal, should it actually happen. And maybe in the next few days as other question just what is this supposed “line” that can’t be crossed.
In addition, Dillon’s spotter has been banned for three races and a livid Joey Logano, who drove his car onto a crowded pit road and spun his tires by the 3 pit, was fined $50,000. Again, NASCAR said they need to do a better job at who is allowed onto pit road after a race. That was not all Joey’s fault as families were allowed to run around on a hot track. And you had to love the NASCAR official who came over and shut Logano down, that was awesome.
In the end, yes, NASCAR got it right. There have to be limits to what you can do to get into the playoffs.
Yes, NASCAR has the responsibility to set those parameters since they set this whole system up to begin with.
And yes, I feel like they need to clarify things a bit more since I think the line between what is OK and not OK is still pretty subjective.
Wins are just not wins any more. Wins are your entire season. If you miss the playoffs, those last 10 races are just preparing for the next season. Sure, a win proves you still have it and offers some financial gains for your team, but let’s face it, those wins are a lot like winking at a pretty girl in the dark.
So, kudos for NASCAR on making the right call even if the reasoning still isn’t clear.
Bu this is NASCAR and the organization loves to live in the gray area.
(Photo by Andrew Coppley/HHP for Chevy Racing)
