Anonymous NASCAR drivers define 'the line' in wake of Austin Dillon wrecks, penalty

With the start of the NASCAR Playoffs comes more answers about how Cup Series drivers feel about the Austin Dillon controversy. Has the sanctioning body shown drivers where the line is when it comes to racing for a win?

Jordan Bianchi and Jeff Gluck of The Athletic took anonymous answers from the sixteen drivers in the NASCAR Playoffs on a variety of topics. One question that popped up, where is the line when it comes to racing hard for a win?

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Austin Dillon had his playoff eligibility taken for wrecking Joey Logano and Denny Hamlin in the final two turns at Richmond. So, how do drivers feel about that decision?

Five of the sixteen drivers believe the line is basically, you can wreck one driver, but you can’t wreck two.

“One car, one car length,” said a playoff driver.

Four of those sixteen drivers felt that you can’t intentionally wreck someone but contact is fine. It all has to do with the severity of the contact and its aftermath.

“I think if you put somebody in the fence, they let it slide. You can spin a guy out for the win and he hits the fence and you can still win,” a driver offered.

Four more drivers felt that it was all judgment calls, so there really isn’t a line. Then, there were three who felt like the line is the same as it has always been – no right-rear hooking. That’s what Austin Dillon did to Denny Hamlin.

Is this a new era in NASCAR?

Austin Dillon, Richard Childress believe a line was crossed by NASCAR

If you ask Austin Dillon and Richard Childress, NASCAR crossed a Rubicon of sorts with their penalty decision. Following the final appeal, Childress and Dillon both spoke out about what they each saw as a step too far.

“Their ruling has changed NASCAR racing on the final lap forever,” Childress said to the media, via Bob Pockrass of FOX Sports. “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.”

As for the driver, he had much of the same sentiment.

“We did our due diligence on the appeal,” Dillon went on to Pockrass. “We really put a lot of effort in for all of our employees at RCR. Didn’t think the penalty fit the crime. If you look back throughout NASCAR and history, guys with intent, wrecking people – Chase Elliott-Denny in Charlotte, given a waiver after that.

“Another one would be William Byron turning Denny under a caution, given 25 points penalty, $100,000 [fine] — they appealed it, got their points back and was back in the playoffs. So many cases where we felt like the penalty didn’t fit the entirety of the crime, and that that is the biggest financial penalty in the sport’s history from a judgement call, what it really comes down to.”

Did NASCAR go too far with Austin Dillon? Has a new precedent been set for the benefit or detriment of the sport?