Austin Dillon Clinches Playoff Berth With Incredible Victory

Austin Dillon

Austin Dillon in a miraculous drive in Richmond punched his ticket to victory lane and clinched a berth into the NASCAR Playoffs. He snapped a 68-race winless drought his last win coming at Daytona in August of 2022. Richard Childress Racing as an organization snaps a 43-race winless streak after having a dreadful 2024 thus far only getting six top 10’s and two top 5’s as an organization, a hard-fought well-earned victory victory in the legendary number three.

The Late Caution

Austin Dillon had the race in hand in the closing laps with an over two-second lead then the lone caution for (not including stages) set up a two-lap race to the finish. Austin Dillon chose the bottom of the chose cone. Joey Logano went to the outside and got the better start. Logano jumped out to the lead and took the white flag. On the backstretch, Logano jumped out to a four-car length lead and Austin Dillon dove into the final corner in a hail-mary effort to win the race. Dillon shoved Logano up the track and then forced him to jump inside and hook Denny Hamlin sending the 11 car into the outside wall and crossing the line first.

Joey Logano did not hold his frustrations with Austin Dillon. In the Post Race Interview with NBC, he said:

That’s chickensh*t, there’s no doubt about it, Four car lengths back, not even close, then he wrecks [Hamlin] to go along with it and he’s going to go up there and praise God and everything with his baby, it’s a bunch of BS, it’s not even close.

Denny Hamlin also voiced his displeasure with the desperate move:

Where’s the line? That’s the thing, we have rules against — to prevent ridiculous acts but it’s been a long time since those rules have really been enforced, Didn’t [Truck Series driver Layne Riggs] spin someone out and get a two-lap penalty or some bullsh*t? This is, it’s tough because this is what the young short track racers see and they think this is OK because they watch the professionals on Sunday that are supposed to act like adults just do dumb sh*t and it’s amazing that it’s allowed.

Austin Dillon Shakes up the Standings

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Due to Austin Dillon being so far back in the standings the unlikely win sends shockwaves through the NASCAR world propelling from 32nd in the standings to 13th. Martin Truex Jr. in his final season is still comfortably 78 points above the cutline. Ty Gibbs sits 19 points above the cut line, while Bubba Wallace is just 3 points ahead of Chris Buscher and Ross Chastain. We have four drivers fighting for 2 sports with just three races left, Michigan, Daytona, and Darlington to decide it all.

With Daytona being a wildcard, Michigan tends to come down to fuel mileage and Darlington is tough to tame anything can happen over the next three weeks and shake up the standings once more. Austin Dillon has made a habit of coming in clutch to sneak in the playoffs. he did so at his last win at Daytona clinching a spot in the playoffs at the buzzer in 2022.

This could be a new beginning for Richard Childress Racing, after the two-week break for the Olympics Dillon and Kyle Busch unloaded at Richmond fast. With the talent that Kyle Busch possesses he could be the next driver to shake up the standings and send drivers on the bubble into a scramble. Anything and everything is going to happen in the next three weeks to grab a spot in the Playoffs so buckle up and enjoy the show.

Final Thoughts

Was the move by Austin Dillon dirty? Yes, it was, however, in this system where winning means everything you have to do what you have to do to capture the checkered flag. A car as good as that was doesn’t happen often, especially at Richard Childress Racing. So you must take advantage of it if that means using the bumpers you use. Dillon’s season was on the line in the last corner and front stretch and he did what he had to do to save it plain and simple.

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