Austin Dillon and the Richard Childress Racing No. 3 team has lost its final appeal over the penalties issued by NASCAR over the final lap incidents at Richmond Raceway.
The decision confirms the penalties NASCAR issued last Wednesday. Dillon remains the winner of the CookOut 400 but the victory does not count towards playoff eligibility or seeding. Dillon must win again on Sunday in the Southern 500, the Cup Series regular season finale, to advance into the Round of 16.
Per the NASCAR Rule Book, penalties are first heard by the National Motorsports Appeal Panel and if upheld, may be appealed one last time to a Final Appeals Officer.
That officer is generally Langley Speedway owner Bill Mullis who issued the following decisions:
- The Appellants violated the Rule(s) set forth in the Penalty Notice.
- That the FAO affirms and upholds the modified penalty as determined by the National Motorsports Appeals Panel on August 21, 2024.
Mullis referenced telemetry data, which has been published here, that Dillon was in violation of NASCAR rules — specifically without saying so directly that Dillon intentionally crashed both Joey Logano and Denny Hamlin on the final corners.
“The data presented today from SMT and IDAS systems indicate that more likely than not a rule violation did occur at Richmond Raceway on 8-11-24 by the No. 3 RCR car on the last lap of the race. (Rule 12.3.2.1.B Eligibility, 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.)”