What happened in Richmond remains difficult to forget. Austin Dillon ending his 68-race winless run hasn’t been talked about as much as how he ended it. With Dillon wrecking both Denny Hamlin and Joey Logano in the final lap, the scars remain fresh. While the retaliation fear looms large, the #3 driver’s injury reports gave the fans one more reason to bash him.
It is no secret how criticism has come flying in Austin Dillon’s way after he registered his fifth Cup Series victory on Sunday. While it was his decision-making that made his win controversial, his comments after the race only added more fuel to the fire. With Hamlin and Logano left fuming, it wouldn’t come as a surprise if Dillon receives a payback soon.
Austin Dillon’s injury comes to light with NASCAR close to coming up with its much-awaited verdict
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It is a rare occasion when both Joey Logano and Denny Hamlin share a similar opinion. Well, that was the case last weekend in Richmond when Austin Dillon wrecked both drivers from a winning position. Understandably, they were left angered given how close they were in the final lap. Unsurprisingly, Hamlin used his podcast “Actions Detrimental” to vent his frustration.
The Joe Gibbs Racing driver looked unhappy with how NASCAR let Dillon escape without any punishment. In the latest episode of his podcast, he said, “You are the sanctioning body. You are the big boys in the room. You have to make tough calls sometimes. Sometimes you make the right call even if it’s a tough call. … You can’t wreck two guys to then go win a race and then reap the benefits and reward of that.”
There have been a lot of opinions on the moves by Austin Dillon on the last lap but best way to analyze them is to look at the actual data so let’s dig into his last two laps in a quick thread.
Orange = Lap 407
Blue = Lap 408 pic.twitter.com/t104uOyX7L— Bozi Tatarevic (@BoziTatarevic) August 12, 2024
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Did Austin Dillon fake his injury to dodge Denny Hamlin's payback? What do you think?
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While he prompted NASCAR to take action on the final lap incidents, he also brought in SMT data to support his case. He said, “The #3 car turned 70° to the left um you know like a normal corner is when you turn the wheel to about 30 to uh 35°, so double the amount so whatever you make to make a corner.” Clearly, Dillon turned more than required, indicating his intent to wreck.
Naturally, Denny Hamlin wasn’t one bit pleased and like Logano could retaliate against Dillon on the track soon. However, things took a wild turn when news came to light about the 34-year-old being injured on the weekend. NASCAR insider Davey Segal reported Dillon having a hurt oblique/rib as he struggled after his presser.
More from a flabbergasted Denny Hamlin after Richmond: pic.twitter.com/7Iq1GPC0ry
— Bob Pockrass (@bobpockrass) August 12, 2024
What’s amazing is that reportedly, the Richard Childress Racing driver suffered the injury while playing basketball in Hamlin’s private league last week. It is no secret how the #11 driver enjoys playing basketball and has started his own league, including his NASCAR colleagues. While Dillon is an old participant, his getting injured and eventually wrecking Hamlin remains a funny story.
With this news coming out, the fans couldn’t let go of the chance to bash Dillon once again.
Fans mock Austin Dillon following his injury news amid Denny Hamlin’s retaliation possibility
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Over the years, Denny Hamlin has ventured into various different activities. While his love for NASCAR is incomparable, his passion for basketball is no less impressive. In fact, he has a basketball court set up inside his mansion, where he started his own league. With the league comprising NASCAR drivers as well, Austin Dillon remains an active member of the group.
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While reports suggested he was injured while playing basketball last week, it surely encouraged the fans to slate him more. The NASCAR community went full throttle in bashing him on Reddit. One fan commented how Denny Hamlin will be avenging Dillon’s act on Sunday. He said, “Denny about to hit him with the most flagrant foul ever in their next game.”
With this being a possibility, one fan suggested what Dillon was trying with this report. He said, “I think he’s looking for a way out of his game against Denny on Thursday.” Another fan had a wild suggestion as he assumed what Hamlin was likely to do. He said, “Denny gonna kick AD out.” While it is very unlikely that the #11 driver will let an on-track event hamper his personal relationship, nothing is for sure.
At the same time, one fan pointed out how Hamlin’s league has been injuring players constantly. He said, “I swear Denny’s basketball league has had a longer string of injuries in the last few years than all of NASCAR combined.” While many criticized Dillon, one fan agreed to see him injured. He said, “You can see it happen live. It was right when he got down from the window.”
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Another fan conceded the same thing as he said, “Saw it too. You could see he was still trying to regain his composure after the chest hit when the reporter began interviewing.”
Austin Dillon might have been injured, but that doesn’t spare him from the decision he made on the track. Now, it all comes down to NASCAR to make the correct decision. After all, Denny Hamlin will be keenly looking up to the verdict.
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Did Austin Dillon fake his injury to dodge Denny Hamlin's payback? What do you think?