Richard Childress has expressed his deep frustration over losing both appeals related to the penalties following Austin Dillon’s contentious victory at Richmond Raceway. The owner of Richard Childress Racing (RCR) views the more than $1,000,000 in penalties as the largest fine in NASCAR history.
The #3 Chevy team faced a 25-point deduction and was stripped of their chance to compete in the 2024 NASCAR playoffs after Dillon secured his first win of the season at Richmond on August 11. The victory, however, came with significant controversy. On the final lap of the Cook Out 400, Dillon, who is Childress’s grandson, made contact with Joey Logano and Denny Hamlin, resulting in a wreck that allowed him to take the win.
In a recent discussion, the 78-year-old Childress expressed his dismay after the Final Appeal Officer rejected their appeal. He believes this decision will have lasting implications for NASCAR racing. In his words, as relayed by Bob Pockrass, Childress commented, “Their ruling has changed NASCAR racing on the final lap forever. The drivers now, they know where a line is, or they think they do.”
Childress elaborated on the specifics of the incident, noting that Dillon was two-and-three-quarters car lengths behind Logano when the latter slowed down by three miles per hour on the last lap. This led Dillon to bump Logano to move him up the track, a move that Childress questions whether it is now considered out of bounds. “What is the line? And then if you go to racing somebody off the corner and they get loose [as Hamlin did] and get into you, then does that mean you’re out of the Chase? That’s all I got to say about the ruling. But it has changed racing for a win for sure,” he added.
When discussing the financial impact of the lost appeal, Childress didn’t hold back his frustration. “It’s over a million dollars to us. The largest fine ever in NASCAR. I’m just disappointed, disappointed, disappointed. That’s all I can say,” he remarked.
As it stands, Dillon will retain his win from Richmond but will not be eligible to participate in the upcoming playoffs. Both Dillon in the #3 car and Kyle Busch in the #8 have only one more race to qualify for the playoffs under the Richard Childress Racing banner.
NASCAR President Steve Phelps shared his perspective on the penalties imposed on RCR during an episode of Kevin Harvick’s “Happy Hour” podcast. Phelps addressed the chaotic final moments of the Cook Out 400 at Richmond Raceway, where he stated that a line had been crossed.
Austin Dillon’s aggressive driving, which included nudging Team Penske’s Joey Logano and driving through Joe Gibbs Racing’s Denny Hamlin, was the focal point of post-race discussions. These actions led to NASCAR officials imposing penalties on Dillon and his team.
During his conversation with former NASCAR driver Kevin Harvick, Phelps explained the rationale behind the penalties, emphasizing the risks Dillon’s actions posed to his fellow competitors. He noted that the incident unfolded rapidly, with two separate occurrences in quick succession—one in Turn 3 and another in Turn 4, just before the race concluded.
Phelps described the situation as having a “second move,” which in NASCAR’s view, was a deliberate hook that violated racing norms. This assessment was supported by both visual evidence and data analysis. “It’s hard to hide from the data, right?” Phelps remarked.
The NASCAR President further highlighted the severity of the incident by pointing out the dangerous impact Hamlin endured, describing it as one of the hardest hits he’s faced in the Next Gen car. According to Phelps, Dillon’s actions crossed a critical line, prompting NASCAR to take decisive action.
The final lap of the Cook Out 400 at Richmond Raceway, filled with tension and controversy, has sparked widespread discussion and has set a precedent for future races in the sport.
Richard Childress fumes over ‘$1,000,000 impact’ as Austin Dillon appeal denied by NASCAR
