Was NASCAR’s Penalty for Austin Dillon and RCR Appropriate?

Following a two-week break for Olympics coverage, NASCAR was keen to get back in the headlines.

Austin Dillon did not disappoint, as his last-lap actions at Richmond Raceway raised the ire of virtually everyone not wearing a No. 3 t-shirt or Bass Pro Shops hat. NASCAR responded late Wednesday afternoon, allowing Dillon to keep the win but deeming it ineligible for playoff consideration. It was an unprecedented penalty, but with an unprecedented set of circumstances surrounding it. This week, Vito Pugliese and Amy Henderson decide if the penalty fit the crime in 2-Headed Monster.

A Penalty with Lasting Reverberations

In a move that many had thought would not be coming Wednesday afternoon, NASCAR took action against Dillon after the fracas at Richmond Raceway on Sunday (Aug. 11) night.

Dillon’s desperation move to take out leader Joey Logano and then new leader Denny Hamlin in one corner temporarily thrust him into the playoffs despite entering the race 32^nd in points. While he was allowed to keep the win, NASCAR deemed it ineligible to be counted towards the playoffs due to the manner in which he won.

Was it too harsh? After all, the principals involved are no stranger to walling the competition on the final lap. Logano sent William Byron into the turn 3 wall at Darlington in 2022 and Hamlin assisted Kyle Larson into the wall at Kansas to win last season.

All things considered, it probably was the right call and in line with motivation behind the egregious maneuver.

NASCAR typically does not like to take away wins. Hamlin may beg to differ after NASCAR did just that – including having to return the trophy – after being disqualified at Pocono in 2022 due to a Post-It Note-sized piece of wrap that was masking a body contour on the nose of his car. In this instance, the win stands, but playoff eligibility is rescinded.

Keep in mind what accompanies that.

Beyond the driver bonus incentive for making the playoffs, there is the team incentive from the sponsor, as well as the end-of-year points payout. Yes, there is a very significant difference between finishing 32^nd in points and, at worst, 12^th for just making the playoffs. All told, while “win and you’re in” sounds like a license to do whatever it takes, it ended up costing them hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Compounding the issue, the opportunities for both Dillon and Kyle Busch to still make it in on a win are also waning. That said, Dillon did…