Austin Dillon felt he did what he needed to do to cross the end line first Sunday evening at Richmond Raceway.
Dillon bumped into the again of Joey Logano in Flip 3 on the ultimate lap, which spun Logano from the race lead. Within the subsequent nook, Dillon right-hooked Denny Hamlin as the 2 have been side-by-side with the checkered flag in sight. The victory, Dillon’s first since August 2022 in Daytona, took him from thirty second within the Cup Collection standings to the postseason.
“I used to be simply attempting to get to him,” Dillon stated of the primary contact with Logano. “I went into Flip 3 in fifth gear and drove in, tried to get him free, and obtained him up the monitor. I obtained the automotive downshifted, and the automotive truly turned fairly good after I did that, after which after I was coming again left, [Hamlin] was coming and that was simply type of a response.
“The No. 22 [Logano] was attempting to get him free however the No. 11 [Hamlin] was extra only a response, and I wasn’t lifting at that time as a result of I used to be extra taking a look at the place [Logano] was. When the No. 11 got here throughout, it was only a response.”
Dillon didn’t recall listening to directions to “wreck him” over his staff’s in-car radio coming off Flip 4. The audio rapidly went viral, resulting in questions and criticism for Dillon and his staff.
“Dude, at that time, I’m elbows up, holding the throttle down, simply attempting to get to the beginning/end line. Actually,” Dillon stated. “I’m sideways off of [Turn] 4 as a result of I’m at all times three-quarters of a lane up the monitor, hammer the gasoline, and I’m simply wanting firstly/end line. That’s it. I ain’t listening to [expletive] at that time.
“Your eyes flip pink. You see pink. You get to the top of the race. Daytona, final lap, after I gained there on the 500 – your eyes see pink. There’s one factor in your thoughts: get to the beginning/end line first. Interval. Regardless of if anyone got here on the radio. It doesn’t matter. You’ve got one job to do – to get to the beginning/end line first. Lots of people lose their jobs as a result of they don’t get to the beginning/end line first.”
The extra time restart put Dillon on the offensive. Dillon had taken the lead of the race with 28 laps to go and was answerable for the sector when the ultimate warning got here with two laps to go when Ryan Preece was spun by Ricky Stenhouse Jr. Dillon’s No. 3 staff stored him within the prime spot in the course of the ultimate spherical of pit stops.
However Logano cleared Dillon via Turns 1 and a pair of on the restart. Dillon got here from what Logano stated was three or 4 automotive lengths behind getting into Flip 3 on the lap to make contact.
Logano referred to as for the victory to be taken away. NASCAR will evaluation the end. Nevertheless, Dillon was unapologetic for the way he succeeded, seeing no distinction in what his competitors had carried out prior to now.
“I’ve seen Denny and Joey make strikes which have been working folks up the monitor to win,” Dillon stated. “This was the primary alternative in two years for me to have the ability to get a win; I drove in there and stored all 4 tires turning throughout the beginning/end line. I’ve seen quite a lot of stuff through the years in NASCAR the place folks transfer folks, and it’s simply a part of our sport.
“Keep in mind when Joey stated, ‘[that’s] short-track racing’? He is aware of what it was. In your footwear, what would you do?”
