Austin Dillon Takes Out Frontrunners To Win At Richmond: Video

Austin Dillon, driver of the No. 3 NASCAR Chevy Camaro ZL1, was sitting pretty as the laps ticked down at Richmond Raceway on August 11^th, 2024, leading by a large margin as the checkered flag loomed. However, a late-race caution changed the course of the race and set the stage for an Overtime finish, neutralizing the field and forcing Dillon to defend the lead against the No. 22 Ford Mustang Dark Horse of Joey Logano and the No. 11 Toyota TRD Camry of Denny Hamlin on the restart.

Dillon did just that, although his actions in the final lap have sparked quite the controversy as he appeared to intentionally move both Hamlin and Logano out of the way to clear the track before he went on to win.

Dillon took a shot at Logano’s rear bumper on the last lap, causing the Ford driver to spin out. This opened the lower groove for Hamlin, who attempted to dive into the lead, but Dillon’s No. 3 Camaro made contact with the Toyota, causing Hamlin to spin as well.

“I felt like with two to go, we were the fastest car. Obviously we had to have a straightaway. Wrecked the guy. I hate to do that, but sometimes you just got to do it,” Dillon said. “I got to thank the good Lord above. It’s been tough for the last two years, man. I care about [Richard Childress Racing], these fans, my wife. This is my first [win] for my baby girl. It means a lot. I hate it, but I had to do it. When given that shot, you’ve got to take it.”

Interestingly, in-car audio indicates that Dillon was instructed to “wreck” Logano by his spotter. Additionally, it’s worth noting that Hamlin was given his second-place finish back after the incident, while Logano was credited with 19^th. Dillon’s win gives him an automatic pass from 32^nd in points to the Playoffs. No penalties have been announced as of this writing.

# – Rookie
i – Points ineligible
* – Part-time driver

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