Final appeal date set for Richard Childress Racing and Austin Dillon

The final appeal for Richard Childress Racing and Austin Dillon has been set for this upcoming Monday, in front of the appeals officer. Yesterday, the National Motorsports Appeals Panel upheld the NASCAR penalty against Dillon.

Austin Dillon has the race win at Richmond in his pocket, but it does not come with playoff eligibility. Dillon will have to win at Daytona or Darlington if he wants to make it to the postseason this year.

Richard Childress Racing is making a second appeal. Bill Mullis, the owner of Langley Speedway, will be the final appeals officer. Bob Pockrass of FOX Sports shared the news about the Monday appeal.

The final appeal for RCR and Austin Dillon will be Monday.

— Bob Pockrass (@bobpockrass) August 22, 2024

It will be difficult for Austin Dillon and RCR to win this appeal. While it isn’t impossible, to think that the appeals officer would overturn the decision made by NASCAR and the original three-member panel is hard to imagine.

Frankly, from what we have heard from NASCAR, they are hoping it stands. I think more than that, they are confident that it is going to stand.

Bump and runs are part of the sport. They aren’t done with the intention of wrecking someone. Right rear hooks are the most dangerous move you can make on a race track, regardless of what track it is.

To say Dillon was reckless is the easiest argument to make, and that is what NASCAR’s job has been throughout the appeals process.

Steve Phelps hits Richard Childress Racing, Dillon hard

As I said before, NASCAR appears confident in their decision and the appeals process going their way. With how broad the rules are at times in the sport, it isn’t hard for officials to explain why they removed playoff eligibility from Dillon.

Richard Childress Racing might not like it, but NASCAR is holding firm. Steve Phelps even compared the last-lap actions of Dillon to a demo derby recently.

Speaking on behalf of NASCAR, Phelps went on Kevin Harvick’s Happy Hour. The two discussed the decision NASCAR made in this instance.

“Well, I’ll take it one step further,” Phelps said to Harvick. “If we hadn’t penalized it, then I think the, what we would see over the next twelve weeks would look significantly different. It just, we can’t have it. It really comes down to, what do you want your sport to be? And that’s why I think we ruled the way we did because we’re not demolition derby, we’re just not. We are a sport that, if we had done nothing, I think we would have opened ourselves up for a mess, honestly.”