Denny Hamlin fires savage response to Richard Childress Racing’s Austin Dillon defense

Hamlin, of course, was one of two drivers that was wrecked by Austin Dillon on the final lap of the race, with Dillon taking the checkered flag after bulldozing both Hamlin and Joey Logano. The way Dillon did it drew NASCAR’s ire, provoking one of the harshest penalties in the sport.

As a result of racing in a way that was detrimental to the sport, NASCAR stripped Dillon of his playoff eligibility based on the win at Richmond. He’ll now have to win another race to make it into the playoffs. Dillon was also docked 25 driver and owner points, while his spotter was suspended for three Cup Series races for urging Dillon to wreck other drivers near the finish line.

“In our view that crossed a line, without a doubt,” NASCAR senior vice president of competition Elton Sawyer said. “Again, our sport has been based on strong emotions. It’s been based off win and you’re in. But anything that we feel like from a sanctioning body that has crossed the line from a standpoint that compromises the integrity of our playoff format, as well as our championship, we are going to get involved.”

Following the race, Hamlin was nowhere near as heated as Logano, who was fined $50,000 for revving his engine while on pit road near several bystanders, including several of Austin Dillon’s family members and crew. Even so, the driver of the No. 11 car was not pleased.

He made that known in a post-race interview.

“Absolutely a line was crossed,” Hamlin said. “But it’s an invisible line and it’s not defined. I mean they have rules and provisions for stuff like this, but they never take action for it.”

Hamlin was asked if Austin Dillon’s move to wreck both drivers was fair or foul.

“It’s obviously foul, but it’s fair in NASCAR,” he said. “We’re just a different league, right, where there is no penalties for rough driving or anything like that. So it opens up the opportunity for Austin to be able to just do whatever he wants.”

Now that NASCAR has made its ruling, we’ll have to wait to see how the appeal process for RCR will unfold.