Top Dog: Ty Dillon
Ty Dillon’s Petty GMS Motorsports teammate Erik Jones has been the superlative at the team in 2022, but at Richmond Raceway’s Federated Auto Parts 400 (Aug. 14) it was Dillon who stood out among the underdogs.
Richmond is a track that is typically not kind to underdogs, as several races over the past decade featured long green flag runs and slippery conditions. Conditions like that limit how many changes can be made to a car’s setup with little time for extended adjustments during green flag stops. As has become the norm, if you miss it on the setup, you are in for a long day.
Dillon was about the only underdog to make some positive noise, earning a 17th-place finish as the only underdog to place inside the top 20.
One of the more welcoming sights during the race was that the top lane rubbered in, allowing drivers more options in lanes on the track. Dillon was one to use it to his advantage, running the top groove for a large part of the race.
The No. 42 Allegiant Chevrolet slowly lurked through the field in stage one, finishing in 20th. Stage two saw Dillon raise some eyebrows, as he drove up into the top 15 and finished the stage in 12th. What may have been just as impressive was the fact that he stayed on the lead lap. Only 14 drivers were on the lead lap when stage two ended.
Despite the car tightening up in the final stage, he held serve in the top 15. However, one of the most crucial factors at Richmond is avoiding mistakes. Dillon fell victim to a mistake on lap 295, as he was hit with a commitment line violation on a green flag stop.
If there was a silver lining in the penalty, it was the fact that several drivers were either one lap down or multiple laps down. That allowed Dillon to stay within the top 20 for the second straight race (he finished 14th at Michigan International Speedway last weekend).
We already knew Dillon won’t return to the No. 42 next season, but following last week’s announcement that Noah Gragson will replace him, Dillon’s runs the last two weeks are just what the soon-to-be free agent needed. Following a July that featured three DNFs, back-to-back top 20s is certainly a step in the right direction.
Underdog Highlights
Justin Haley was the next underdog in line with a 21st-place finish. Haley’s weekend started out on a rough note when his No. 31 LeafFilter Chevrolet failed pre-qualifying inspection twice. That resulted in him losing his pit selection and car chief. The long green flag…
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