Austin Dillon responds to Dale Earnhardt Jr. over SMT data in Denny Hamlin wreck at Richmond

Austin Dillon opens up about the SMT data in the wreck with Denny Hamlin at Richmond Raceway on Sunday. The veteran NASCAR driver spoke to Dale Earnhart Jr. about it on Dale Jr. Download, and it comes after he won the Cup Series race and wrecked Hamlin and Joey Logano.

“Let’s go back to going into Turn 3. Obviously, I’m doing everything I can to try and give my team a shot to win,” Dillon said. “I’m trying to get Joey loose. As I go in the corner, got a lot of speed, but actually I kind of had the car under control pretty good with a hard entry. I end up second lane middle when I get the car pointed to come back down the hill. On exit of Turn 4 at Richmond, the track naturally drives you to the wall when you’re running the yellow line. Denny’s on the lower line, I’ve got a really good Diamond kind of angle at the track at this point.

“So my vision is clear still, and I’m looking at the start/finish line. But my straightest point to the start/finish line is about mid-track, which isn’t optimal for the guy coming up the track. Denny, I think in his podcast, said that he didn’t even know I was there. When he came into my view, he’s carrying more speed than I am. If he clears me a little bit further, none of this happens. If he’s half a car length further back, he takes me to the wall with him and we crash at the wall.”

Austin Dillon shares more on wreck with Denny Hamlin

Dillon added: “When he comes up, I’m headed to the same angle as I am. His right rear catches my left front. At that point, if I hold the wheel right, I’m going this way. I mean, I’m trying to turn my car to keep the same direction I’m going at that point.”

Dillon also said he hated that he wrecked Hamlin since he stood up for him on the Actions Detrimental podcast earlier this year when he was not driving well. The 34-year-old then revealed that he is in Hamlin’s basketball league and will play him on Thursday.

Pit crew member Bozi Tatarevic shared the SMT data on Monday. Based on the data, Dillon had to change his racing line to make contact with Hamlin. It doesn’t mean Dillon intentionally hit Hamlin, but the fact he turned down more on the final lap compared to the lap prior is interesting.

On3’s Jonathan Howard contributed to this story.