Dillon crashes his way to victory

Austin Dillon has taken a wild NASCAR Cup Series race at Richmond where he played a part in two leaders crashing in a “chickenshit” final lap.

Dillon, who was 32nd in the points standings, became the 13th winner of the 2024 season and secured a Playoffs berth with four races left in controversial style by striking both Joey Logano and Denny Hamlin coming out of the final corner in the Overtime finish.

Having passed Hamlin with 30 laps left, Dillon appeared in the box seat only for a caution to arrive with two to go when Ryan Preece was spun by Ricky Stenhouse Jr.

This pushed the 408-lap affair into Overtime where Logano snatched the lead around the outside of the opening corner.

The Penske driver was able to pull a car length by going down the back straight and appeared destined for a second win of 2024.

However, NBC commentator Jeff Burton said “there will be contact” at the start of the final lap and he was proved correct in crazy circumstances.

Dillon went deep into Turn 3 and went into the rear of Logano, sending the #22 Mustang into a spin.

This opened the door for Hamlin, who hit the lead by going beneath them on the inside.

However, Dillon then made side to side contact with the #11 which fired the Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota hard into the wall.

Dillon emerged from all the carnage to take a fifth career win, first since 2022 and cement a ticket to the Playoffs.

When asked ‘was that a fair move’ Dillon replied ‘I don’t know man’.

The Richard Childress Racing driver later remarked” “I hate to do that, but sometimes you have just got to have it. I had to do that. You just got to get it done sometimes. Whatever it takes.”

Dillon then opened up about the journey since his last win at the Coke Zero 400 in 2022.

“It has been two years and this is the first car I have had with a shot to win,” he said.

“I felt like with two to go we were the fastest car and then Ricky wrecked the guy.

“I got to thank the good lord. It has been a tough two years. I care about RCR and this is my first with my baby girl so it means a lot.”

Meanwhile, Logano was furious.

“It was chickenshit, no doubt about it,” he said to the tune of jeers.

“He is four car lengths back and not even close. Then he wrecks the #11 to go along with it and goes up there, thanking god and praising everything with his baby, it’s a bunch of BS.

“It is not even fricken close. Bump and run, I get it, but I didn’t back up the corner at all. He just came in and drove through me. It’s ridiculous that this is the way we race.

“I get bump and runs, I do that and would expect it, but from four car lengths back, he was never going to make the corner.

“What a piece of crap.”

When asked how he will race Dillon in the Playoffs, Logano replied “wait and see.”

Hamlin was not a fan either, but pointed to the bigger picture with NASCAR much more lenient on penalties.

“It is obviously foul, but it is fair in NASCAR,” he said.

“We are just a different league where there are no penalties for rough driving so it opens up the opportunity for Austin to do whatever he wants.

“My problem is I got hooked in the right rear again. I was just minding my own business but he just turned left and put me in the right rear.

“I don’t know. He is going to be accredited with the win, but he is not going to go far because you got to pay your dues back on stuff like that.

“But it is worth it because they jump 20 positions on points, so I understand that but hate that I was part of it.”

It will be fascinating what happens next when both the NASCAR Cup and Xfinity Series return to Michigan next weekend.

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