Just over a week back, Austin Dillon grabbed all the news with his win at Richmond Raceway. While the victory was unprecedented, so was the manner in which it came. The Richard Childress Racing rightfully got punished by NASCAR for wrecking both Denny Hamlin and Joey Logano. While he was able to keep his win, his playoff hopes took a dent with the penalty.

Despite winning at Richmond, NASCAR took away Dillon’s playoff spot because of “actions detrimental to stock car auto racing or NASCAR as determined in the sole discretion of NASCAR.” Unsurprisingly, RCR appealed the penalty and the hearing will soon take place. However, Denny Hamlin doesn’t feel positive about Dillon’s chances, especially, given what happened with Hendrick Motorsports last year.

Denny Hamlin dissects Austin Dillon’s approach to fight his Richmond penalty appeal

Last year in March at Phoenix Raceway, NASCAR docked Hendrick Motorsports for unauthorized modification of hood louvers. While all four HMS drivers were each penalized with 100 points and 10 playoff points, their penalty appeal turned in Rick Hendrick’s favor. Despite the controversy, Hendrick’s camp gained back all the rescinded penalty points.

In the latest episode of his podcast ‘Actions Detrimental,’ Denny Hamlin explained how HMS’ Phoenix Raceway controversy changed the dynamics with NASCAR. He said, “NASCAR has changed some language in the appeals process after the Hendrick Louver shenanigans or whatever it might be. The [appeal] panel says they’re guilty, but we’re going to just change the penalty. Like NASCAR did not like that one bit, like not even a little bit. So, they changed the language.”

With this change, as per Hamlin, the appeal panel can only decide if the entity is guilty or not guilty and not change the severity of the penalty. While it only makes it difficult for Austin Dillon to win his penalty appeal, Denny Hamlin detailed the possibilities. For starters, the appeal panel has to be convinced that the RCR driver was not guilty.

Looking at Dillon’s actions, it is difficult for most to not see him as guilty. In Hamlin’s words, “It would be really, really hard to build a case to say it wasn’t intentional.” While this approach would most likely not work, the #11 driver assumed RCR would go with NASCAR’s unprecedented outcome. Never has a win deprived the eligibility of the playoffs.

Having said that, Hamlin predicted how NASCAR would fight this approach. He said, “I read some language to you last week that was in the rulebook that when it comes to kind of the fairness of the sport, they can make unprecedented calls.” While RCR could argue how NASCAR has allowed drivers to escape with a punishment despite wrecking for a win, Hamlin explained the reply to it as well.

The 43-year-old said, “What NASCAR probably would say is that we saw an unprecedented move and it caused us to make an unprecedented call.” While multiple arguments could take place, Denny Hamlin just assumed what could happen with the appeal. While he doubted Dillon’s chances of a positive outcome with the penalty appeal, he strongly condemned NASCAR’s approach. Hamlin explained how all of this could have been easily avoided.

Denny Hamlin expects NASCAR to be proactive after Austin Dillon’s Richmond penalty fiasco

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Since Austin Dillon registered his first win of the 2024 campaign at Richmond earlier in August, plenty of debates have been ongoing. While he wrecked Joey Logano and Denny Hamlin to secure his victory, his intent was more than questionable. To add, it opened up a flurry of questions, including the integrity of the sport. After all, it is important to draw a line to operate fairly.

Given the competitive nature of the Cup Series, it is understandable how drivers are motivated to risk everything for a place in the playoffs. Ross Chastain’s ‘Hail Melon’ move at Martinsville in the 2022 campaign remains fresh in the memory of the NASCAR community. While it looked pleasing to the eye, such acts could go south at any moment.

Citing the consequences, NASCAR rightly decided to penalize Austin Dillon after the Richmond debacle. However, Denny Hamlin felt the governing body should have been more proactive with their approach. He said, “You [NASCAR] should have taken care of it at the track. Enforce the rough driving penalty right then, then everything just fixes itself, it doesn’t have a split outcome.”

While Hamlin criticized NASCAR, he said the ruling body will only learn positively from it. He said, “But that’s [to be proactive] something for the future, something that everyone can learn from, NASCAR will learn from.” Certainly, Hamlin was spot on there. Hopefully, the matter wouldn’t come to this. Meanwhile, it remains to be seen how Austin Dillon’s penalty appeal goes.

Will he enjoy a Rick Hendrick-like reversal or will a statement be made with the outcome? Well, only time can tell.