Dillon loses final appeal, Mexico City Cup Race, Cut line
By Roy J. Akers-www.skyviewsports.net
The final regular season race in the Cup series at Darlington and major news has hit the circuit before teams arrive at the track. Austin Dillon is down to winning at Darlington in order to reach the playoffs. Mexico City has taken a Richmond date in 2025 and seven drivers are looking to take at most, two available playoff spots.
Austin Dillon loses his appeal
It was a formality really. Final Appeals Officer Bill Mullis upheld the penalty levied on the No. 3 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet following a last-lap incident on Aug. 11 at Richmond Raceway.
In reaching the above decision, the Final Appeals Officer provided the following explanation: “The data presented today from SMT and IDAS systems indicate that more likely than not a rule violation did occur at Richmond Raceway on 8-11-24 by the No. 3 RCR car on the last lap of the race. (Rule 12.3.2.1.B Eligibility, race finishes must be unencumbered by violations of the NASCAR rules or other actions detrimental to stock car auto racing or NASCAR as determined in the sole discretion of NASCAR.)”
Austin Dillon made contact with Joey Logano and Denny Hamlin in the final turns en route to his win at the Virginia short track. Dillon and the No. 3 team were subsequently dropped by NASCAR officials from the Cup Series Playoffs, with the race win not counting toward postseason eligibility.
Richard Childress Racing elected to appeal the decision to the Final Appeals Officer, who presided over deliberations and came to the decision to uphold the ruling.
Dillon’s No. 3 Chevrolet currently sits 29th in points and remains outside of the 16-driver Cup Series Playoffs field heading into Sunday’s regular-season finale at Darlington Raceway.
Opinion on Dillon
Dillon mentioned other historical incidents for his behavior. What is not mentioned is that all the rules mentioned above are really a ‘disguise’ for NASCAR to have a rule for what is really not defined by the sport. Those rules above are for ‘passing the eyeball test.’ NASCAR probably would have let Dillon slide if he hit just Logano or Hamlin. But put both together and the spotters transmission to wreck both cars, (which Dillon did) and NASCAR had to act. Multiple drivers told the press at Michigan (I was there) that if this would have been allowed to stand, other incidents would have followed and could have been worse.
Mexico City Cup Race
It is known that NASCAR has long wanted an international Cup race. The Xfinity Series has raced in Mexico in the past. Not sure why Mexico City. Ben Kennedy, the sport’s executive vice president, chief venue & racing innovations officer, was on site in Mexico City Tuesday to announce NASCAR’s top racing division will conduct a points-paying event at Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez in June 2025, marking the series’ first official visit outside the United States since 1958.
Of course Daniel Saurez was there as he is the only Latino and Monterrey, Mexico in the Cup Series.
“Exactly 10 years ago, I was here racing NASCAR Mexico in 2014,” Suárez said via teleconference. “And I won a race here before winning NASCAR Mexico and moving full time to the NASCAR Xfinity Series in 2015. And I knew that some years before my time, the NASCAR Xfinity Series had the opportunity to come to Mexico for a few years and I remember thinking, what a dream would be for me to race the NASCAR Cup Series one day in my country. I remember thinking that. And fast forward now nine years later, here we are.”
Mexico City Opinion
I hope NASCAR is successful. It will draw a lot of new fans which NASCAR wants. My hope is the race is held without violence. Mexico is a pretty lawless country. If this race is successful, Toronto or Montreal. Maybe Vancouver. Would NASCAR go to a European country? Let’s see how the Mexico City race goes.
“It’s been unbelievable,” Suárez said. “You know, there’s a lot of people excited here in Mexico today. Today already is a day that we’re going to remember for a very, very long time. We were talking last night at dinner that today, we’re making history. Today, we’re bringing the biggest series of stock-car (racing) in the world to Mexico City for a points race for the very first time in the modern era. So it’s unbelievable.”
Roy J. Akers is a multi-media reporter and covers several sports for www.skyviewsports.net