Eligibility for the Cup Series Playoffs was denied to Austin Dillon due to his win at Richmond Raceway ¹. Dillon’s win was deemed to not count toward playoff eligibility, and he was also docked 25 points ². His team’s spotter, Brandon Benesch, was suspended for three races, and Joey Logano was fined $50,000 for unsafe behavior on pit road after the race ².
Dillon’s actions at Richmond Raceway, which included intentionally wrecking two drivers to take the win, led to the penalties ². The decision sets a precedent that a spot in the “win and you’re in” playoff format must be earned fairly ². Dillon’s team plans to appeal the decision, which will be heard by the National Motorsports Appeals Panel ³.
The penalties have implications for the playoff standings, with 12 drivers remaining locked into the postseason grid and three races remaining in the regular season ³. Dillon will have opportunities to win his way into the postseason with upcoming races at Michigan International Speedway, Daytona International Speedway, and Darlington Raceway ³.
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