NASCAR Cup Series winner Austin Dillon insists his spotter’s “smash it!” call before he collided with Danny Hamlin at Richmond on Sunday night “didn’t change” what happened next.
Dillon qualified for the playoffs with his win, but is waiting on NASCAR’s penalty report over the weekend to see if it will choose to penalize him for wrecking both Hamlin and Joey Logano in the final turns of the final lap.
NASCAR has delayed the release of its report, which is traditionally released on Tuesday, as it is understood to be looking into several cases — which will include the severe fatigue Logano suffered in front of the Dillon stand, where Austin’s family was gathered.
Dillon said he “had control of the car on the hard entry” into Turn 3, when he hit Logano and then hit the wall.
At that moment, his spotter told him to move along the track as Hamlin was about to pass on the inside, yelling “Drop, drop, drop, smash it – smash it!” before the collision sent Hamlin hard into the Turn 4 wall.
Speaking on today’s episode of the Dale Earnhardt Jr. Podcast, Dell Junior DownloadThe pressure of the moment caused the explosion, Dillon said.
“I expect something, obviously,” he said of NASCAR’s upcoming penalty decisions. “As for my spotter, I talked to him, and I really think the emotions were very high for us, as the third car.
“We’ve been beaten up and injured for a while now, and with two laps to go, we were three seconds ahead at Richmond, and now it’s time to be cautious. Now we’re talking about things that are taking away from the power of the car that we already had.
“From our spotter, I think he became an Austin Dillon and RCR fan in the stands on the last lap. He was just saying what came to mind at that moment and it was wrong. I’m sure there will be something to that.
“But what he said didn’t change what happened in Turns 3 and 4. I was driving as hard as I could at that moment, and he was on the microphone and talking. I know he was upset about it, but he was there for me through a lot of tough times we went through. I can’t blame him for being a fan at that moment.”
Denny Hamlin involved in a crash after colliding with Austin Dillon in the final turn.
Photography: Danny Hansen / NKP / Motorsports Pictures
Dillon also analyzed his version of events and how he drove against Hamlin, during one of the most controversial finishes in NASCAR Cup history.
“Coming out of Turn 4 at Richmond, the track naturally leads you into the wall when you’re on the yellow line,” Dillon said. “Denny’s on that lower line, and I’ve got a really good diamond angle on the track at this point.
“So my vision is still clear, and the straight to the finish line is about halfway up the track. That’s not the best position for a guy going up the track. He didn’t even know I was there,” Denny said on his podcast.
“When he came into my field of vision, he was faster than me. If he was a little bit past me, none of this would happen. If he was half a car length behind me, he would push me into the wall and we would crash together. [there].
“His right rear end is hitting my left front. At this point, if I hold the wheel correctly, I’ll move. [towards the outside wall] So I’m heading to keep the same direction I’m going.
“I hate the Dennis part. Dennis protected me earlier this year on his radio show when times were really tough, when we were burnt out and hadn’t been doing well for two years. I’m in his basketball league and I’m supposed to play against him on Thursday.”
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