NASCAR insider evaluates chances Richard Childress Racing wins Austin Dillon appeal

A NASCAR insider just shared his thoughts on the chances of Richard Childress Racing (RCR) winning the appeal of Austin Dillon‘s playoff berth being revoked. On X, a fan asked Bob Pockrass of Fox Sports if RCR had a chance to get the ruling overturned.

“I don’t think RCR has a good chance to win appeal because hard to say NASCAR ruled differently in other similar situations because not many other similar situations and rules give NASCAR latitude to make the decision,” Pockrass wrote. “But never say never.”

Dillon wrecked Denny Hamlin and Joey Logano before winning the Cook Out 400 at Richmond Raceway on Sunday. The win granted Dillon a playoff berth, but NASCAR revoked it on Wednesday, and Dillon and RCR were docked 25 points in driver’s and owners’ standings.

“I think in all due respect to the appeal process, we looked at this and the totality of everything that happened as you enter Turn 3 and as the cars got to the start/finish line,” NASCAR vice president of competition Elton Sawyer said. “So, as we look through all of that data, we came to the conclusion that a line had been crossed. Our sport has been based going for many, many years, forever, on good, hard racing. Contact has been acceptable. We felt like, in this case, that the line was crossed.”

Richard Childress Racing reacts to Austin Dillon’s finish at Richmond

After the race, Dillon’s crew chief Justin Alexander reacted to the finish. “I’ll be honest with you, I have not even seen any of it,” he said. “The last I saw, we were going into three. I kind of looked down for a second thinking it was over. I was trying to watch him. I didn’t see anything. All I saw was them cross the start/finish line. I haven’t seen anything on the finish.”

RCR owner Richard Childress seemingly defended Dillon’s actions. “It’s racing. They would do it to him, I promise you,” Childress said during the post-race press conference. “If he would have been leading it, that 22 would have moved him out of the way. The 11 would have moved him out of the way. Either one of them would have done the same thing. I’ve seen it before.

“You have to. Seen it right here at Richmond. Clint Bowyer won the race the night I think it was 88 and 18 knocked each other out of the way. He come under ’em and won the race on the last lap. You just think back of history.”