CONCORD, N.C. — What the heck is going on with NASCAR?
A little bit of everything it seems, and August was quite the month for the 76-year-old sanctioning body — some of it good and some not so good.
Wrecking To Victory
With so much emphasis on making the playoffs, desperation certainly becomes a factor late in the season. As a result, drivers are more aggressive and take bigger risks in an effort to win a race and earn one of the 16 spots in the 10-race championship chase.
Austin Dillon certainly did just that when he drove through both Joey Logano and Denny Hamlin during overtime to win at Richmond (Va.) Raceway and snatch a playoff spot.
NASCAR mulled over the result and the available data and three days after the race, declared Dillon and his Richard Childress Racing team, which is owned by Dillon’s grandfather, Richard Childress, ineligible for the playoffs.
However, they got to keep the win, which is another issue entirely.
NASCAR made the right call regarding kicking Dillon out of the playoffs. He clearly crossed the line between aggressive driving and intentionally wrecking his way to victory.
Had NASCAR not acted in some fashion, that gray area would have disappeared completely. Personally, the victory should also be expunged as it sends a mixed message.
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