Penalties To Dillon Upheld After RCR’s Final Appeal

Richard Childress Racing lost its final appeal of Austin Dillon's Richmond Raceway penalties on Monday. (HHP/Andrew Coppley photo)

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Austin Dillon and Richard Childress Racing’s final attempt to have their Richmond (Va.) Raceway penalties overturned was denied Monday afternoon.

Final Appeal Officer Bill Mullis affirmed and upheld NASCAR’s decision to strip Dillon of his playoff eligibility from winning the Cook Out 400, as well as deductions of 25 driver and owner points from Dillon and the No. 3 team.

The original penalties were announced on Aug. 13, four days after a wild overtime finish at Richmond’s three-quarter-mile oval that saw Dillon spin leader Joey Logano in turn three on the final lap, before hooking Denny Hamlin into the outside wall as Hamlin attempted to drive underneath Dillon for the win.

Dillon’s spotter, Brandon Benesch, was suspended for three races as well. That punishment, however, was reduced to just one race – or time served – during RCR’s initial appeal to the three-member National Motorsports Appeals Panel on Aug. 21.

Mullis reaffirmed the modified suspension to Benesch on Monday in making his final decision.

Benesch served his suspension at Michigan Int’l Speedway on Aug. 18 and thus returned to his regular duties – which includes spotting for NASCAR Xfinity Series rookie Jesse Love in addition to Dillon – over the weekend at Daytona (Fla.) Int’l Speedway.

Mullis explained the reasoning behind his ruling in a released statement.

“The data presented from SMT and IDAS systems indicate that, more likely than not, a rule violation did occur at Richmond Raceway on [Aug. 11] by the No. 3 RCR car on the last lap of the race,” Mullis wrote.

“The violation pertains to Rule 12.3.2.1.B Eligibility, [where] race finishes must be unencumbered by violations of the NASCAR rules or other actions detrimental to stock car auto racing or NASCAR as determined in the sole discretion of NASCAR.”

Officials from RCR had not made a statement on the matter at press time.

Mullis’ decision as the National Motorsports Final Appeal Officer is final and binding on all parties.

That means that Dillon remains in a must-win situation entering the 75th Cook Out Southern 500 if he hopes to make the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs.

Dillon has two top-five and five top-10 finishes at the Track Too Tough to Tame, with a best result of second in the 2020 Southern 500 behind race winner Kevin Harvick.

He also has a fifth-place finish in May 2012 among his four Darlington starts in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, as well as a fifth in NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series action there from August of 2010.

The often-rough statistics for Dillon at Darlington mean he likely has a tall task ahead of him if he’s to win his first Southern 500 – and third Cup Series crown jewel – Sunday night.

If this season has proven anything, however, it’s that anything can happen once rubber meets the road.

Broadcast coverage of the diamond running of the Cook Out Southern 500 at Darlington is slated for Sept. 1 at 6 p.m. ET, live on USA, the Motor Racing Network, and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, channel 90.