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Austin Dillon did what he had to win on Sunday to earn a playoff berth, but some people think he went too far.
At the end of Sunday’s Cookout 400 in Richmond, Dillon won the race after wrecking into Joey Logan and Denny Hamlin on the final lap.
AUSTIN DILLON WRECKS THE HELL OUT OF LOGANO AND HAMLIN TO WIN pic.twitter.com/WECXlWyuCg
— Rubbin is Racing (@rubbinisracing) August 12, 2024
Video evidence of Dillon’s team telling him to “wreck him” on the radio went viral on social media.
Austin Dillon's team radio had said "I don't care how you do it" before he hit Joey Logano and then "Wreck him! Wreck him!" before Denny Hamlin.
"Pop Pop is proud of you," Richard Childress then said on the radio.
— Jeff Gluck (@jeff_gluck) August 12, 2024
I guess the precedent has been set that intentionally wrecking multiple drivers, including the forbidden right hook while your spotter yells “WRECK HIM” is now legal pic.twitter.com/fibMSAy2Rs
— Ryan Pistana (@ryanpistana) August 12, 2024
Richard Childress denies hearing his spotter say “wreck him” during the race but later conceded that the “spotter did a good job.”
Richard Childress came over to me after the press conference and said he didn't hear it in real time if it was said.
I played the recording for him.
He echoed the sentiment that 'well, if he did, spotter did a good job because it won him the race."
— Matt Weaver (@MattWeaverRA) August 12, 2024
Update: Dillon claims he didn’t hear the spotter yell “wreck him” and was busy doing what he had to do to win the race.
Austin Dillon says he didn't hear 'wreck him' or anything over the radio because he saw red and all he could see was red and doing whatever it took to get to the line first pic.twitter.com/PG1dPIxZ9W
— Matt Weaver (@MattWeaverRA) August 12, 2024