NASCAR changes Richmond results shortly after the race ends

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As a die-hard NASCAR fan with decades of experience under my belt, I must say that Sunday night’s Cook Out 400 at Richmond Raceway was one for the books! Austin Dillon’s victory was nothing short of miraculous, especially considering he started in 32nd place. The nail-biting finish was a perfect blend of strategy, skill, and a dash of luck – just the way I like it!

Austin Dillon from Richard Childress Racing seemed to be cruising towards his first NASCAR Cup Series victory since August 2022, potentially securing a playoff spot in 2024, during the race at Richmond Raceway on Sunday night. However, disaster struck when JTG Daugherty Racing’s Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and Stewart-Haas Racing’s Ryan Preece collided on the final lap (399 out of 400).

So far in the Cook Out 400 at the Richmond, Virginia oval, a four-cornered, 0.75-mile track, no cautions had been called until that moment. This meant Dillon was just half a mile away from the race becoming official, with the next flag marking its end.

As a devoted racing enthusiast, I stayed glued to my seat past regular hours, witnessing some thrilling pit stops. Despite maintaining the lead after those overtime stops, Dillon faced a challenge when the race resumed. The formidable No. 22 Ford of Joey Logano from Team Penske surged ahead, leaving the No. 3 Chevrolet trailing in its wake.

Approaching turn three on the last circuit, Dillon collided with Logano’s back, causing the No. 22 Ford to spin. Just before the finish line, Denny Hamlin from Joe Gibbs Racing briefly grabbed the lead. However, Dillon hit the right rear of the No. 11 Toyota, resulting in it crashing into the wall as well.

Dillon clinched a playoff berth by triumphing in the race, even though he was 32nd in the overall points at the start. This victory marked his fifth career win.

NASCAR changes Richmond results shortly after race

At the end of the race, Ty Dillon and Bubba Wallace from 23XI Racing finished in second and third positions, with Ross Chastain of Trackhouse Racing Team coming in fourth, just ahead of Hamlin in fifth place.

After a closer look, NASCAR adjusted the results and moved Hamlin into second position, with Reddick now in third, Wallace in fourth, and Chastain coming in fifth.

Even though Hamlin ended up in fifth position at the finish line, NASCAR considered him to be running in second place when the caution flag was waved. Since he was part of the crash, they deemed that he had kept up with the pack’s speed as they crossed the finish line.

Logano ended up in 19th position after a caution period, despite apparently performing better before the light came on. His car, No. 22 Ford, was found to be pointing in the wrong direction during a review, which prevented him from keeping up speed. On the other hand, Hamlin managed to keep his vehicle moving in the correct direction, even if he wasn’t fully in control at that point.

Despite some controversy surrounding the decision, it’s undeniable that Hamlin was running in second position as the caution signal flashed. At no time before reaching the finish line did he ever run backwards or face the wrong way.

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2024-08-12 14:02