Appeals panel upholds NASCAR penalty to Austin Dillon after crash-filled win

Richard Childress Racing's initial appeal of NASCAR's penalty against driver Austin Dillon was denied Wednesday by the National Motorsports Appeals Panel.

The panel upheld NASCAR's ruling that Dillon’s Aug. 11 victory at Richmond Raceway would not count toward postseason eligibility. Dillon’s No. 3 team was also docked 25 points in both the driver and owner championship standings.

Dillon was penalized for spinning race leader Joey Logano in Turn 3 on the final lap of overtime at Richmond Raceway and then right-hooking Denny Hamlin off Turn 4. The team was 32nd in the championship standings going into the weekend and Dillon needed a victory to make the postseason.

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

However, the panel did reduce spotter Brandon Benesch’s suspension. Benesch was suspended for three races for his comments of the No. 3 team in-car radio on the final lap, which included instructions of “wreck him” as Dillon was side-by-side with Hamlin.

Benesch’s suspension was reduced to one race and considered as time served. The panel said it was an “excessive” penalty. Benesch sat out Michigan International Speedway as Richard Childress Racing did not defer his suspension through the appeals process.

The three-person panel was Tom DeLoach, Kelly Housby, and Tommy Wheeler.

Richard Childress Racing will make a final appeal.

A statement from the team read, “Richard Childress Racing is disappointed in the results of today’s hearing in front of the National Motorsports Appeals Panel. 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.”

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