National Motorsports Appeals Panel Denies Appeal for Dillon, RCR; Team Plans for Final Appeal

Austin Dillon and Richard Childress Racing were hopeful that Wednesday would mark the restoration of the driver and team's automatic Playoff Berth following a win in the Cook Out 400 at Richmond Raceway a couple of weeks ago. However, the National Motorsports Appeals Panel upheld the sanctions from NASCAR on Wednesday afternoon.

While the panel did reduce the suspension for spotter Brandon Benesch from three races to one, which Benesch served last weekend at Michigan International Speedway, Dillon and the No. 3 team will still lose 25 championship driver and owner points, the race finish would not count when determining eligibility for the Playoffs, Playoff Points or Playoff seeding.

The National Motorsports Appeals Panel explained that the decision to uphold the penalties to Dillon and the No. 3 team was due to the conduct on track on the final lap of the race at Richmond crossing the line as to what is acceptable in NASCAR.

“NASCAR represents elite motorsports and, as such, its drivers are expected to demonstrate exemplary conduct if its series’ championships are to be validated. In this case, the ‘line’ was crossed.”

The members of the appeals panel, who took part in the appeal were Mr. Tom DeLoach, Mr. Kelly Housby, and Mr. Tommy Wheeler.

Per the NASCAR Cup Series Rule Book, Richard Childress Racing has the chance to make one final appeal before the National Motorsports Final Appeals Officer, an option the team intends to make according to a statement issued on Wednesday afternoon.

"Richard Childress Racing is disappointed in the results of today’s hearing in front of the National Motorsports Appeals Panel," the team said in a statement. "We respect the NASCAR appeals process, but we do not believe that today’s outcome reflects the facts presented. We plan to appeal the decision to the Final Appeal Officer."

If the penalties are able to be wiped away, Dillon and the No. 3 team would be locked into the NASCAR Cup Series driver and owner Playoffs. With the penalties still in place, Dillon sits 29th in the championship standings, and would need an additional win to work his way into the Playoff field.

The NASCAR Cup Series heads to Daytona International Speedway on Saturday, August 24 to contest the Coke Zero Sugar 400, the next-to-last race of the 2024 regular season.

Photo Credit: Craig White, TobyChristie.com