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Desperate Dillon Wins At Richmond

Writer's picture: 389country389country


Austin Dillon secured his first NASCAR Cup Series win in two years with a dramatic and controversial finish at the Cook Out 400 at Richmond Raceway on Sunday night. The victory catapulted Dillon from 32nd in the points standings to an automatic playoff berth.


The race came down to a tense NASCAR Overtime finish. On the final lap, Dillon's No. 3 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet bumped the rear of Joey Logano's race-leading No. 22 Team Penske Ford, sending Logano into the SAFER barrier. Dillon then collided with Denny Hamlin's No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota as he moved low on the track, allowing him to edge out Hamlin by just a few feet for the win, seconds before the yellow flag was displayed. While Logano and Hamlin limped their damaged cars to pit lane, Dillon celebrated with victory doughnuts and defended his aggressive move, calling it "short-track-style racing." He noted that both Logano and Hamlin had made similarly bold moves to win in the past.


"I don’t know man, it’s been two years and this is the first car I’ve had a shot to win with," Dillon said when asked if the move was fair. "I felt like with two to go, we were the fastest car. Obviously, we had to have a straightaway. Wrecked the guy. I hate to do that, but sometimes you just got to do it."


Dillon's win is his first in the last 68 races and his fifth career Cup Series victory. His last triumph came at Daytona International Speedway in 2022, which also earned him a playoff spot. Heading into the Richmond race, Dillon was 258 points behind the playoff cutoff, but the victory now makes him the 13th driver to secure a spot in this season’s championship contention.


Dillon's grandfather, team owner and NASCAR Hall of Famer Richard Childress, supported the move, saying, "He knew what he had to do and they [Logano and Hamlin] would have done it to him."


However, Logano was less than pleased, expressing his frustration immediately after the race. "It was chicken [expletive] — there’s no doubt about it," the two-time series champion said of Dillon’s tactics. "He was four car-lengths back, not even close. Then he wrecks the 11 [Hamlin] to go along with it."


Logano’s crew chief, Paul Wolfe, was equally upset, calling Dillon’s move "a joke" and saying, "That’s not professional. We all put too much into this for something like that."


Hamlin, who led a race-high 124 laps, was also frustrated by the outcome. "There are no penalties for rough driving so it opens up the opportunity for Austin to just do whatever he wants," Hamlin said, adding that while Dillon would be credited with the win, he wouldn’t go far in the playoffs. "You’ve got to pay your dues back on stuff like that."


The finish had significant implications for the playoff standings. Tyler Reddick and Bubba Wallace, both driving for 23XI Racing, finished third and fourth respectively, with Trackhouse Racing’s Ross Chastain rounding out the top five. Wallace’s strong finish moved him from outside the playoff bubble into the top 16, holding a slim three-point lead over Chris Buescher and Chastain.


Martin Truex Jr. suffered a major setback when his No. 19 JGR Toyota experienced engine issues, forcing him to retire early and finish last in the 37-car field. Despite the disappointment, Truex still holds a 78-point cushion above the playoff cutoff.


Christopher Bell of Joe Gibbs Racing, who led 122 laps and won Stage 1, finished sixth. He was followed by Kyle Larson, Carson Hocevar, Chase Elliott, and Daniel Suárez, who completed the top 10. Larson continues to lead the overall standings, holding a narrow five-point lead over Reddick and a six-point advantage over Elliott. Hamlin is fourth, just 21 points back.

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