Austin Dillon doesn’t at present have the playoff spot he thought he’d earned with the aggressive strikes that crashed Joey Logano and Denny Hamlin to safe him a win at Richmond Raceway. However the 2018 Daytona 500 winner has no regrets and a easy message to his detractors.
“You don’t hate the participant,” he instructed NBC Sports activities throughout an interview after Saturday’s Cup Collection qualifying was rained out. “You hate the sport.”
On this case, the ‘recreation’ is NASCAR’s win-and-in playoff system – a singular championship format the place a single victory at any stage of the common season can lock a driver into one of many 16 playoff spots to chase the title over the ultimate 10 races.
Getting into Richmond 32nd within the factors with 4 races left earlier than the playoffs, Dillon was determined to lock himself into the postseason area with a win. He appeared poised to do exactly that, however a late warning and gradual restart opened the door for Logano to snag the highest spot from Dillon in additional time. So over the ultimate half-lap of motion, Dillon did no matter it took to safe a win – sending Logano spinning from behind with a deep dive into Flip 3 and catching the right-rear of Hamlin’s No. 11 when he tried to take benefit and go them each off Flip 4.
It was sufficient to get Dillon the win. NASCAR didn’t disqualify him from the victory, but did deem the transfer over the road and stripped Dillon and his No. 3 workforce of the playoff perks and giving them 25-point penalties within the drivers’ and homeowners’ championships. Spotter Brandon Benesch was additionally suspended three races for telling Dillon to wreck Hamlin coming to the road.
Richard Childress Racing (RCR) is at present interesting the choice. Within the meantime, Dillon has been tight-lipped. He hasn’t talked to Logano or Hamlin and is saving his feelings and plans for the attraction.
“I’ve bought to watch out with what I give out proper now for the attraction course of, as a result of it’s going to be like a trial, it truly is,” Dillon stated. “I want all people may see it, tv, could be cool to be in there. As a result of I haven’t actually given my total story of the sport but.
“I really feel like Denny did a extremely good job on his podcast, giving his aspect of the story adamantly this week. A pair further podcasts than he usually does. For us, I additionally listened to his podcast when he talked in regards to the attraction course of and the way robust it’s.
“I’m going to do my greatest to get RCR within the playoffs the place they have to be, the place they need to be at present. From there I’ll give all of the media and all people else my precise emotions after that’s all stated, completed and over with.“
Whereas he’s preserving his methods near the vest, Dillon did take a second to handle Logano in the interview. The 2-time Cup champ was livid after being spun at Richmond, performing an offended burnout down pit street – a transfer that later value him $50,000 to a NASCAR wonderful – and giving incendiary quotes about Dillon in post-race interviews.
