Dale Earnhardt Jr. makes compelling case for Richard Childress Racing to appeal Austin Dillon ruling

After NASCAR officially decided to revoke Austin Dillon’s automatic playoff berth after his win at Richmond, Richard Childress Racing said it plans to appeal. Dillon wrecked Denny Hamlin and Joey Logano on the last corner of the last lap, leading to the penalties.

To Dale Earnhardt Jr., RCR could have a case to appeal the ruling. While he wasn’t sure it was even possible to do, he broke down why they might do so – and have legs to stand on.

Earnhardt argued the penalty was due to the contact he made with Hamlin. Although he acknowledged the contact made with Logano, Earnhardt said he didn’t think there’d be an issue if that was the only time it happened. RCR argued hitting Hamlin wasn’t intentional, and an appeal would further show how confident they are that was the case.

“I might not be surprised, I guess, if Richard’s initial reaction is to appeal it because we heard how dismissive he was of all of the things everybody was trying to show him in the in the post-race media center about the audio on the radio. … He truly believed, like, there’s no way that was going on when, in truth, it was,” Earnhardt said on his show. “I could see them using the SMT data and trying to go and make a case against what happened on that last lap. I believe that this penalty, in my opinion, this penalty for Austin resolves around the contact with Denny Hamlin. Not the 22. I could be wrong, but I believe that if Austin knocks the 22 out of the way and that’s the end result, none of this ever happens. I think the penalty is from the contact with the 11.

“And I do believe that their story, Austin Dillon’s story and everyone at RCR is that that wasn’t an intentional move. The 22, yeah, they’ll admit that. He went down there in there to hit him and do everything he could to get by him at all costs. But they believe, and I truly believe that they believe this to be true, that they did not wreck Denny on purpose.”

With a playoff spot at stake, RCR has plenty to fight for if it chooses to appeal the Dillon decision. That’s the biggest reason why Dale Earnhardt Jr. said he could see them making such a move.

“If they can appeal, I wouldn’t be surprised with everything at stake, right?” Earnhardt said. “An opportunity to be in the playoffs, although we know that they are not a championship threat. But it’s at the minimum, a couple million dollars for them to be in that playoff field. If they have an opportunity to appeal, I would not be surprised at all if it’s final.”

Austin Dillon was also docked 25 points as part of the punishment. Spotter Brandon Benesch is also facing a three-race suspension, and Joey Logano received a $50,000 fine for the burnout in front of Dillon’s area on pit road.