Richard Childress Racing is still fighting against the penalty imposed after their initial appeal to the National Motorsports Appeals Panel was unsuccessful. The implications of this situation extend beyond just a drop in points standings; it also threatens a significant financial payout from NASCAR based on the team’s performance over the next three years.
Austin Dillon and the #3 Chevrolet found themselves in the spotlight following Dillon’s contentious victory at Richmond Raceway on August 11. During the final lap of the Cook Out 400, Dillon made a bold move, overtaking both Joey Logano and Denny Hamlin in turns 3 and 4 to secure his first win of the season.
Consequently, NASCAR’s governing body revoked Dillon’s playoff eligibility and penalized the team with a 25-point deduction. Additionally, the team’s spotter, Brandon Benesch, received a three-race suspension.
Richard Childress’ team expressed their “disappointment” regarding the recent ruling and is gearing up for a final appeal to the Final Appeal Officer. Should the appeal not yield a favorable outcome for RCR, the team could face a staggering $2 million deduction from the payout awarded by NASCAR based on their final standings. This situation would also affect the bonuses they receive from sponsors.
According to a report by Fox Sports journalist Bob Pockrass:
“RCR must proceed with the appeal. The potential shift of 15 positions in the standings between qualifying for the playoffs and Dillon’s current placement could translate to over $2 million in payouts, as a team’s standings significantly influence NASCAR’s financial distributions over the next three years. Additionally, whether or not they make the playoffs could alter the bonuses owed to the team from sponsors.”
This predicament leaves RCR with no alternative but to challenge Dillon’s penalty.
“It’s difficult to ignore the data,” remarked the NASCAR president regarding the penalty imposed on Austin Dillon.
In a recent chat with former NASCAR driver Kevin Harvick, NASCAR president Steve Phelps elaborated on the decision to penalize Austin Dillon during the tumultuous final lap of the Cook Out 400 at Richmond Raceway.
During an episode of Harvick’s Happy Hour podcast, Phelps justified the penalty against Dillon, stating:
“As we reviewed the situation, it all unfolded so rapidly. There were two incidents that occurred almost simultaneously. One in Turn 3 and another in Turn 4, which ultimately led to the race conclusion. The second action was a hook, in our view, supported by both our observations and the data. The evidence is hard to dispute.”
He continued, “Additionally, this put another competitor in jeopardy. Denny experienced a significant impact, arguably one of the most severe in this Next Gen car. We believe a line was crossed here.”
As NASCAR gears up for the Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona International Speedway, Dillon finds himself in 29th place in the overall Cup Series standings. With only two races remaining, his chances of making the playoffs are slim, and he must act quickly to turn things around for himself and the RCR team.
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