Austin Dillon was able to beat Joey Logano and then beat Denny Hamlin to earn a spot in the playoffs.
Dillon lost the lead to Logano on a green-white-checkered restart before Logano spun on the final lap and collided with Hamlin as Hamlin sought the lead into Turn 4 after Dillon spun Logano’s car.
This was a shameful display of driving by a driver desperate to make the playoffs. While it is easy to blame Dillon for his actions, the real blame lies with NASCAR as the sanctioning body consistently refuses to enforce driving standards on its drivers.
“I don’t know, man,” Dillon said when asked by NBC if his actions were fair. “It’s been two years and this is the first car I’ve ever had a chance to win.”
“I felt like with two races to go, we were the fastest car… I hate to say that, but sometimes you have to have it. I have to thank God. It’s been tough the last couple of years, man. I care [Richard Childress Racing]“My wife, this is my first time getting married… and it means a lot. I hate it, but I had to do it.”
Logano was quick to point out what Dillon had done.
“That’s cowardly, no question about it,” Logano said. “He was four cars behind, not even close, and then he crashed.” [Hamlin] “For him to go with her and go there and thank God and do everything with his child, it’s just nonsense, it’s not even close to the truth.”
Logano was more forthcoming when he wasn’t speaking to NBC.
According to Jeff Gluck of The Athletic, Dillon’s actions were even encouraged by his team radio. Dillon is the grandson of team owner Richard Childress.
Austin Dillon’s team radio said “I don’t care how you do it” before hitting Joey Logano and then “Smash it! Smash it!” in front of Denny Hamlin.
Then Richard Childress said over the radio, “Bob Bob is proud of you.”
— Jeff Gluck (@jeff_gluck) August 12, 2024
Dillon entered Sunday night’s race 32nd in the points standings. His desperation for a win came because he needed a win to make the postseason. He had no chance of making the final points playoffs and needed to win the final four races of the regular season to qualify for the final 16-driver playoff.
He also got some extra help from NASCAR, too. At the start of the 2023 season, NASCAR dropped its rule requiring drivers to finish in the top 30 in the standings to qualify for the playoffs. Had the rule been in place, Dillon would have been in real danger of making the postseason even with a win.
Instead, it’s there with 13 drivers on the winning side with three races left in the regular season.
“Where is the line? That’s the thing, we have rules against — to prevent silly acts but it’s been a long time since those rules were really enforced,” Hamlin said. “There was nothing [Truck Series driver Layne Riggs] “To take someone off the track and get a two-lap penalty or anything like that is tough because that’s what young racers see on the short track and they think that’s acceptable because they watch the pros on Sunday who are supposed to act like adults just doing stupid things and it’s amazing that that’s allowed.”
After Austin Dillon was not penalized for the last-lap move, Denny Hamlin said NASCAR will not be taken seriously regarding the officiating. pic.twitter.com/4SbjIrLTZq
— Bob Pockrass (@bobpockrass) August 12, 2024
Dillon had legitimate speed.
Now let’s get to the details. Dillon had a really fast car and was on his way to an easy win before Ricky Stenhouse Jr. spun off the track in front of Dillon with two laps to go. It was the only caution of the race that wasn’t due to a stage break before Dillon spun off the track in front of Hamlin.
The speed Dillon showed Sunday night was real. He passed Hamlin on Lap 371 and was on his way to the win before that penultimate caution. But that speed doesn’t erase the stigma of what happened on the final lap.
Since NASCAR flew a caution when Logano hit the wall, Hamlin was credited with second place with Tyler Reddick third, Bubba Wallace fourth with Ross Chastain fifth.
Martin Truex Jr. started the race on the front row but finished last with an engine issue. He’s still safe in the playoffs for now, but there are two drivers on the bubble behind him. With three races left in the regular season, Wallace and Chastine are in the playoffs, while Chris Buescher is out.
Race results
1. Austin Dillon
2. Denny Hamlin
3. Tyler Reddick
4. Bubba Wallace
5. Ross Chastain
6. Christopher Bell
7. Kyle Larson
8. Carson however
9. Chase Elliott
10. Daniel Suarez
11. Ryan Blaney
12. Kyle Busch
13. William Byron
14. Josh Perry
15. Michael McDowell
16. Brad Keselowski
17. Todd Gilliland
18. Chris Boycher
19. Joey Logano
20. Noah Gragson
21. Chase Briscoe
22. Ty Gibbs
23. Zane Smith
24. Austin Cindric
25. Ryan Bryce
26. Ty Dillon
27. Justin Haley
28. Alex Bowman
29. Eric Jones
30. Daniel Hemric
31. John Hunter Nemechek
32. Harrison Burton
33. Riley Herbst
34. Corey Lajoie
35. Parker Retzlaff
36. Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
37. Martin Truex Jr.
