Who doesn’t like a good underdog win? But not like how Austin Dillon won by wrecking two cars at Richmond: Joey Logano and Denny Hamlin. After ending a 68-race winless streak with a controversial victory, the driver landed up on Dale Jr‘s podcast and made a sensational statement about his future in NASCAR.

Having a family history in racing as a common factor with Dillon, Dale Jr. questioned, “I publicly said that you need to be positioning for an executive owner stake in the business for the success of Richard Childress Racing. I see you as a big part of that, having driven the cars and been around this since you were a child. It just seems to make sense to me. Is that realistic? What is the five-year plan for Austin, the driver, and Austin as a member of RCR?”

Humbled by Dale Jr.’s compliment, Austin Dillon responded on the Dale Jr. Download, “I’m thankful you said that, because it means a lot, and I care about our business as much as anybody … I’ve had a lot of fun being the GM of our Carolina Cowboys, and I’ve learned a lot through our PBR team about people, contracts, and what all it really takes to run a business.”

Austin Dillon is not just a driver for RCR; he also happens to be the grandson of the team boss, Richard Childress. Although this gives him a special seat on the team, not a lot of people know that he is extremely interested in the managerial side of the team. But the shocking bit came when the No. 3 Chevy driver talked about his 5-year plan.

“So, five-year plan, we’ll see what’s going on in year two of my contract. If I’m best suited as getting out of the car and putting somebody else in it, I definitely would love to be a part of that conversation with my grandfather and Mike Verlander.” Dillon concluded his answer by saying, “I’d love to help run it alongside him, my dad, and my grandfather in whatever capacity it is.”

This not only shows Dillon’s dedication to the team but also to his grandfather’s legacy. Stepping out of a car is a difficult decision for drivers, and not many are okay with being replaced. However, in Dillon’s case, this is about more than just racing for him.

Speaking of Dale Earnhardt Jr. and legacies, Austin Dillon happens to drive the No. 3 car for RCR, which was made famous by none other than the Intimidator. With such pressure on his back, it’s clear why Dillon was ready to do anything to get the win, and that’s why some fans drew a comparison between him and Dale Earnhardt Sr.

What did Austin Dillon say about taking on the spirit of Dale Sr. at Richmond?

It has been back-to-back media sessions for Dillon as the world is trying to understand what went through his mind that helped him win the Richmond race. At the post-race conference, the driver was asked if he thought about the fact that he was driving the car that Dale Sr. made famous.

Dillon was quick with this response, as he said that the fact had never crossed his mind. Explaining how his style is different from Sr.’s, Dillon explained that many fans booed him during his time.

The Welcome native then mentioned who he thinks reminds him of Dale Sr. It was none other than his teammate Kyle Busch. Seeming unpleased by the question, the Cookout 400 winner concluded by saying, “I am not that, I’m Austin Dillon and I am just going to try hard.” 

However, there’s more to Dillon’s controversial win. A three-day review of the win was conducted and NASCAR has reached a verdict. The driver gets to keep his win but won’t get the automatic playoffs spot. Also, 25 points will be docked, which will result in him falling in the driver standings.

Additionally, his spotter, Brandon Benesch, who was heard saying “Go wreck him” has been suspended for three races. All this took place because of the following rule:

Section 12.3.2.1.b: “Race finishes must be unencumbered by violation(s) of the NASCAR Rules or other action(s) detrimental to stock car auto racing or NASCAR as determined in the sole discretion of NASCAR.”

With that said, do you think that Austin Dillon deserves to race in the playoffs? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.