NASCAR incentivized Austin Dillon’s controversial win; what it does next will change stock car history

On Sunday night, Richard Childress Racing driver Austin Dillon wrecked two other cars in pursuit of a victory at Richmond’s Cook-Out 400. The move left a bad taste in many fans’ mouths — but this is the kind of racing NASCAR has not only allowed, but rewarded.

Wrecking two drivers for a win may have earned Austin Dillon a slot in NASCAR’s Playoffs. Though the move was technically legal, NASCAR will have to deeply consider if this is the kind of racing it wants to encourage, or if changes need to be instantly made.

NASCAR and the question of acceptable racing conduct

What counts as acceptable racing conduct? NASCAR’s Cup Series is hard at work considering this important question after Austin Dillon butted Joey Logano out of the lead, then hooked Denny Hamlin in order to secure a win.

While intentional contact is theoretically frowned upon in NASCAR, the sanctioning body alone makes decisions about the kind of contact that warrants a penalty. Dillon’s move for the win raised several concerns about the ethics of a “win at all costs” mindset — and how NASCAR approaches these concerns will define the series moving forward.

Speaking to RACER , NASCAR’s senior vice president of competition Elton Sawyer admitted that the series wants “to make sure that the highest level of racing, which is NASCAR Cup Series, is done at the highest level, and it’s done with the utmost integrity and sportsmanship.”

Hard racing is one of the defining characteristics of NASCAR Cup Series racing, and that occasionally means a driver will resort to a seemingly desperate move to knock the competition out of the way.

While those kinds of bumper taps aren’t always universally beloved, they are generally accepted. As such, Dillon’s move on Logano may have annoyed some fans, but it wouldn’t have left those fans calling foul play.

It was Dillon’s right hook into Hamlin, paired with the spotters on the radio instructing Dillon to “wreck him” that have soured many fans to the finish.

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NASCAR has come under intense scrutiny regarding its officiating standards, but the decision to allow Dillon’s right hook to stand has been pinpointed as a prime example of that conduct. Intentionally wrecking a driver by right-hooking into him has otherwise been one of the most simple and consistent officiating calls NASCAR can implement.

Drivers like Chase Elliott and Bubba Wallace were suspended for similar moves. The lack of clarity around why Dillon’s win should stand, or why he hasn’t otherwise faced any punishment, is emblematic of an ongoing problem in NASCAR.

For the past few years, NASCAR has purported to be changing the Cup Series, and it has done an impressive job in car development, partner activations, talent acquisition, and so much more. But the series’ roots in the “rubbin’ is racin'” mindset have been hard to shake.

Denny Hamlin, one of the drivers involved in the accident, summed up his thoughts by asking, “Where is the line?

“We have rules to prevent ridiculous acts but it’s been a long time since those rules have been enforced.

“Didn’t Layne Riggs spin someone out and get a two-lap penalty or some shit?

“This is tough because this is what the young short-track racers see, and they think this is okay because they watch the professionals on Sunday who are supposed to act like adults just do dumb shit, and it’s just amazing that it’s allowed.”

Hamlin further added that he understands why Dillon made the last ditch effort maneuver, saying, “H e’s completely desperate, right? He’s 30th in points, he jumps 20 spots in points, or whatever the hell it is. His season is saved.

“Now, he’ll have to pay repercussions down the line for this, but it’s so worth it from his standpoint because there are no guardrails or rules that say, ‘Don’t do that.’ And there’s no one in the tower that has any problem with it.

“So, we’re never ever going to get taken seriously as a sport because we have no real officiating.”

And being taken seriously is exactly what NASCAR has been trying to do — but its absolute refusal to take a harder stance regarding intentional contact, especially as it pertains to that kind of contact being used to win, has only incentivized drivers like Dillon to bend the rules as they see fit.

In 2022, driver Ross Chastain secured his spot in the Playoffs thanks to a move that later became known as the ‘hail melon.’ Chastain drove into the wall at Turns 3 and 4 at Martinsville Speedway, using the wall to brace himself as he launched through the turn over 50 miles per hour faster than normal.

It was a bold and dumb move, but it worked. Chastain was able to make up the positions he needed to get into the Playoffs — but NASCAR quickly outlawed the move so that no one else could repeat it.

Chastain’s maneuver was almost universally beloved, in large part because it didn’t require him to wreck anyone else to make up the positions he needed. Still, it was necessary for NASCAR to prevent it from happening again.

Dillon’s move, however, arguably requires greater legislating. It was a maneuver that did impact other drivers, and it’s one that, should NASCAR allow it to stand, will come back to haunt NASCAR later.

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