It’s now crystal clear: to qualify for the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs this season, Austin Dillon will have to win Sunday’s Cook Out Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway.
Final Appeals Officer (FAO) Bill Mullis heard and considered the final appeal from Austin Dillon and Richard Childress Racing on Monday, and determined that the rules were violated and the penalties assessed would stand.
A statement from Mullis reads: “The data presented today from SMT and IDAS systems indicate that more likely than not a rule violation did occur at Richmond Raceway on 8-11-24 by the No. 3 RCR car on the last lap of the race.”
The 34-year-old grandson of Richard Childress, owner of Richard Childress Racing, had the eligibility from his Richmond victory stripped after crashing both Joey Logano and Denny Hamlin to claim a controversial win in the Cook Out 400.
NASCAR did allow Dillon to keep the victory, his fifth in the NASCAR Cup Series, but at the expense of not only his guaranteed spot into the post-season but 25 driver and owner points. Brandon Benesch was also suspended for three races, after radio communications captured the spotter calling for Dillon to wreck the leaders.
An August 21 appeal heard by Tom DeLoach, Kelly Housby, and Tommy Wheeler was unsuccessful for Dillon, as far as getting his playoff eligibility back. However, the National Motorsports Appeals Panel did amend Benesch’s suspension to be one race, instead of three.
With only one race remaining in the regular season, Dillon sits 29th in NASCAR Cup Series point standings, more than 300 points below the cutline. Should the Welcome, North Carolina-native make the post-season, he’ll have to pull another win out of the bag in Sunday’s race at Darlington.
