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Richard Childress has opened up on losing both appeals for the penalties issued after Austin Dillon's controversial win at Richmond Raceway. The disappointed RCR owner considered the more than $1,000,000 money lost to be the biggest fine ever in NASCAR.
The #3 Chevy team was docked 25 points and was stripped of the opportunity to compete in the 2024 NASCAR playoffs after Dillon claimed his maiden win of the season at Richmond on August 11. The grandson of Childress, Dillon wrecked Joey Logano and Denny Hamlin on the final lap of the Cook Out 400.
In a recent conversation, the 78-year-old Richard Childress shared his disappointment after the Final Appeal Officer denied their motion and believed this decision would change the future of NASCAR racing. He said (via Bob Pockrass):
"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 said. "If you go in a car length – two-and-three-quarters was exactly how far back he was [of Logano], and the other car slows down 3 miles an hour on the last lap, you're going to bump in a little to get [him] up the race track. Is that over now?"
"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," Childress added.
Furthermore, when asked about the financial aspect of losing the appeal, Richard Childress added:
"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." [1:20]
As things stand, Dillon gets to keep his Richmond win but won't be able to compete in the upcoming playoffs.
#3 Dillon and #8 Kyle Busch have just one more race left to qualify for the playoffs with the Richard Childress outfit.
"It's hard to hide from the data" - NASCAR President discussed his take on the fine imposed on Richard Childress Racing
In an episode of Kevin Harvick's Happy Hour podcast, NASCAR president Steve Phelps talked about the last-lap mayhem at the Cook Out 400 race at Richmond Raceway. Phelps said that there was a line that was crossed.
Richard Childress Racing driver Austin Dillon was the talk of the town after he nudged Team Penske driver Logano and drove through JGR driver Hamlin to secure his win. As a result, NASCAR officials sanctioned a penalty for the #3 Dillon and his team.
Speaking with former NASCAR driver Harvick, Phelps elaborated on the penalty and the risk involved for Dillon's fellow competitors. He said:
"It happened so quickly — but you had two incidents in a split-second right. Turn 3 had an incident. Turn 4, you had an incident, and then the race was concluded... Because you had a second move, and the second move was a hook, in our opinion, right? Which was both the eye test as well as the data would suggest that's what happened. It's hard to hide from the data, right?"
NASCAR President Phelps then added:
"And then he put a competitor also at risk, right? Denny took a hard hit, one of the hardest hits I think he's had in this Next Gen car. And there was a line that was crossed, in our opinion."
Here's a look at the final lap of the Cook Out 400 race at Richmond Raceway:
