One of the most important choices NASCAR officials would have to make as a sanctioning body following Austin Dillon’s triumph on Sunday night was whether to punish Dillon for purposefully crashing two drivers en route to victory or to overlook it.
Either decision’s consequences would establish a future standard. Though this may sound dramatic, the result served as a barometer for where NASCAR would fall in the professional sport spectrum in relation to professional wrestling.
Officials finally discovered a driver who had crossed the line in the race for victory, after years of allowing competitors to stroll right up to it. Three days after the checkered flag, on Wednesday, NASCAR announced that Dillon would be permitted to retain his victory but forfeit the key playoff eligibility that accompanied it.
“Hard NASCAR racing — a little bump, little tire mark, moving a guy up out of the groove to win a race — we’ve done that for years,” said Elton Sawyer, NASCAR’s senior vice president of competition. “What happened on Sunday night crossed the line.”
Sawyer stated that every driver in the garage already understands what is and is not acceptable, but he did not say where the line is, citing the “totality” of the incident and “progression all the way through the turns” in light of the possibility that Richard Childress Racing might appeal the ruling.
Of certainly, this was the proper decision. When it comes to what constitutes acceptable driving in order to win a race, NASCAR needs to establish some kind of minimum standard.
Austin Dillon claimed his fifth career win on Sunday in Richmond. (Mike Dinovo / USA Today)
The current system is set up in such a way that requires it:
• Even if a full-time driver has a terrible season overall (like Dillon, who finished 32nd in the point standings before to Richmond and had not led a lap all year), they are automatically entered into the 16-driver playoff field if they win one of the 26 regular-season races.
• For each driver who is eligible for the playoffs, winning a race during the playoffs guarantees automatic progression to the following round.
• Winning the season finale as the top player out of the four candidates for the title ensures a championship.
Given everything that is at risk for winners in contemporary NASCAR, officials could not just allow drivers to act in a completely illegal manner in an attempt to win. If not, this series seemed like it would be shamefully trashy, with sleazy, immoral moves deciding playoff berths and maybe even the championship.
That is just not appropriate for the pinnacle of American auto racing or the world’s best stock car racing.
Still, this outcome raises questions.
• Why did not NASCAR officials reprimand Dillon right away if they had a problem with the way he won the Richmond race? Days of turmoil could have been avoided if he had been given a rough driving penalty on Sunday night and dropped in the finishing order. Although Sawyer expressed regret to the fans for the wait, he explained that NASCAR required more time to consider the decision because of the “importance of this decision.”
• What does this signify for the future of the standard? It is simple to argue that intentional damage done in an attempt to win is unacceptable and that touch is encouraged. However, putting that into reality calls for a lot of discretion and a sizable, potentially contentious gray area. When the line is not as apparent in subsequent occurrences, how will authorities handle that?
· Dillon did not receive a suspension for a right-rear hook, unlike Chase Elliott and Bubba Wallace who had received suspensions for similar offenses. Is that now ambiguous territory less clear-cut than we initially believed? Sawyer stated that NASCAR “did not feel that we needed to add the suspension to it” since the playoff-stripping punishment was already severe enough to make a statement.
In general, even if it took longer, NASCAR eventually arrived at the right decision. Drivers know they can still make contact short of purposefully bulldozing their way to a trophy (although Dillon got to keep his because Sawyer said there were no rules “at the moment” that allowed them to take away the win), and it will calm an infuriated garage knowing that some lines cannot be crossed.
Is it time for NASCAR to figure out how to make these decisions? Indeed. Thankfully, officials ultimately made the correct decision.
(Top photo: Sean Gardner / Getty Images)
