Austin Dillon’s NASCAR Penalty Affirmed by Appeals Panel Following Crash-Heavy Victory
The initial appeal by Richard Childress Racing regarding NASCAR’s penalty against driver Austin Dillon was rejected on Wednesday by the National Motorsports Appeals Panel.
The panel confirmed NASCAR’s decision that Dillon’s victory on August 11 at Richmond Raceway will not count towards his eligibility for the postseason. Additionally, Dillon’s No. 3 team lost 25 points in both the driver and owner championship standings.
Dillon faced penalties for turning race leader Joey Logano in Turn 3 on the last lap of overtime at Richmond and then making contact with Denny Hamlin off Turn 4. Entering the weekend, his team was ranked 32nd in the championship standings, and Dillon needed to win to qualify for the postseason.
“NASCAR is a top-tier motorsport, and its drivers are expected to uphold high standards of conduct for the legitimacy of its championships,” stated the panel. “In this instance, the ‘line’ was crossed.”
The panel did, however, reduce the suspension for spotter Brandon Benesch. He was initially given a three-race suspension for his in-race instructions via the No. 3 team’s radio, which included the phrase “wreck him” as Dillon raced alongside Hamlin.
Benesch’s suspension was cut down to one race and counted as time served, as the panel deemed the original penalty “excessive.” He had already missed Michigan International Speedway since Richard Childress Racing did not postpone his suspension during the appeals process.
The panel featured three members: Tom DeLoach, Kelly Housby, and Tommy Wheeler.
Richard Childress Racing plans to submit a final appeal.
In a statement, the team expressed, “Richard Childress Racing is disappointed with the outcome of today’s hearing before the National Motorsports Appeals Panel. We respect the NASCAR appeals process but feel that today’s decision does not accurately reflect the facts we presented. We intend to appeal this ruling to the Final Appeal Officer.”