Cup Series: Austin Dillon repeats Richmond success in a dominant showing

Written by Sean McKean

Dillon celebrating his victory in 2024 | Credit: Logan Whitton / Getty Images

Out of left field to most, Austin Dillon dominated the last half of the race in Richmond to take his first win of the season – locking him into the playoffs from 28th in the standings. It was his sixth career win.

As it unfolded

From his second career pole and first with RFK, Ryan Preece led the field to the green flag. Behind, second-placed starter Tyler Reddick was passed by AJ Allmendinger on Lap 8. 

William Byron began the green flag pit stops on Lap 32. Most followed within eight laps of him, but leader Preece and a few other Chevrolets notably decided to stay out until the end of the stage to save a tyre set. When pit stops concluded, Hamlin led – of those who pitted over Reddick and Allmendinger.

As the pair began to run down leader Preece, Reddick made the move on Hamlin and Preece on Lap 59 to take the lead.

Reddick retained his lead all the way to the end of the first stage. Teammate Bubba Wallace and team owner Hamlin followed behind.

Stage 1 Results:

1. No. 45 - Tyler Reddick (23XI Racing)

2. No. 23 - Bubba Wallace (23XI Racing)

3. No. 11 - Denny Hamlin (Joe Gibbs Racing)

4. No. 3 - Austin Dillon (Richard Childress Racing)

5. No. 2 - Austin Cindric (Team Penske)

6. No. 20 - Christopher Bell (Joe Gibbs Racing)

7. No. 12 - Ryan Blaney (Team Penske)

8. No. 6 - Brad Keselowski (RFK Racing)

9. No. 21 - Josh Berry (Wood Brothers Racing)

10. No. 99 - Daniel Suarez (Trackhouse Racing)

Everyone took to the pits during the stage break. Wallace came out first ahead of Reddick and Christopher Bell. Notably, Denny Hamlin, AJ Allmendinger and Chase Elliott all received speeding penalties. 

Wallace led the way on Lap 80 whilst Bell made his way into second.

Green flag pit stops began with Preece on Lap 113 – his first of a planned three in the stage. Once everything cycled through, Preece used his early pitting advantage to take the lead on Lap 132, but two laps later saw Austin Dillon take the lead for the first time.

Within ten laps, Tyler Reddick took the lead whilst teammate Wallace moved into second. 

Bubba Wallace took the lead on Lap 166. Green flag stops once again started a few laps later on Lap 175.  

The first caution for cause came out amidst green flag pit stops for a spin by Tyler Reddick. Whilst lapping Ty Gibbs and Daniel Suarez, the latter gave a bump to Gibbs that sent him into Reddick on the outside – sending the 23XI driver into the wall. He drove away with minimal damage.

Only a few takers came down pit road, such as Preece, Chris Buescher and Chase Elliott.

Wallace again took the green flag  on Lap 189, but the caution came back out for a spin by Cody Ware in the back only three laps later.

Wallace led the way on Lap 197 whilst Preece scythed through the pack with a considerable tyre advantage.

A huge pileup took place only two laps later. Going into Turn 3, Chase Briscoe received a tap from Kyle Busch and spun out, subsequently getting hit by Busch, Justin Haley, Brad Keselowski, Denny Hamlin and others. Furthermore, Busch hooked Chase Elliott into the outside wall – ending the 2020 champion’s night.

After a lengthy clean-up, Wallace again led on Lap 214.

Wallace kept his lead to the end of the second stage. Daniel Suarez and Ryan Blaney followed behind.

Stage 2 Results:

1. No. 23 - Bubba Wallace (23XI Racing)

2. No. 99 - Daniel Suarez (Trackhouse Racing)

3. No. 12 - Ryan Blaney (Team Penske)

4. No. 3 - Austin Dillon (Richard Childress Racing)

5. No. 48 - Alex Bowman (Hendrick Motorsports)

6. No. 60 - Ryan Preece (RFK Racing)

7. No. 77 - Carson Hocevar (Spire Motorsports)

8. No. 2 - Austin Cindric (Team Penske)

9. No. 24 - William Byron (Hendrick Motorsports)

10. No. 5 - Kyle Larson (Hendrick Motorsports)

Everyone came down pit road during the break. Michael McDowell – having taken two tyres – came out first ahead of Wallace and Ryan Blaney.

McDowell began the final stage in the lead on Lap 241, but Austin Dillon took advantage of Wallace and McDowell battling up front to take the lead one lap later.

Carson Hocevar began green flag pit stops on Lap 280. Major implications in the race came here, when Wallace’s left-front tyre came off right after his pit stop. Luckily, he stopped in Chase Briscoe’s pit stall and put the tyre back on.

Also, Ty Gibbs faced a mechanical issue, as his left-front brakes caught fire and even briefly lost feeling of the brake pedal. The No. 54 team stayed out on track.

Once everything cycled out, Carson Hocevar led, but Ryan Blaney took the lead for the first time of the night right on Lap 302.

Hocevar came back for service for his penultimate pit stop on Lap 322. 

On-track, Dillon caught up to Blaney and began fighting for the lead on Lap 328, remaining side by side for over a dozen laps. But, via assistance from lapped car Hocevar trying to unlap himself, Dillon took the lead before immediately relinquishing it for pit road.

Everything cycled out with Dillon leading over Blaney by five seconds with 55 laps remaining. As the run progressed, however, Blaney began to slim that gap down bit by bit.

Blaney’s drive to the front ultimately stalled out, as Alex Bowman got by Blaney and began to take chunks of time off the leader. It wouldn’t be enough though: Austin Dillon repeated his Richmond success to lock his way into the playoffs from 28th in the standings.

Provisional Results:

1. No. 3 - Austin Dillon (Richard Childress Racing)

2. No. 48 - Alex Bowman (Hendrick Motorsports)

3. No. 12 - Ryan Blaney (Team Penske)

4. No. 22 - Joey Logano (Team Penske)

5. No. 2 - Austin Cindric (Team Penske)

6. No. 5 - Kyle Larson (Hendrick Motorsports)

7. No. 99 - Daniel Suarez (Trackhouse Racing)

8. No. 21 - Josh Berry (Wood Brothers Racing)

9. No. 6 - Brad Keselowski (RFK Racing)

10. No. 11 - Denny Hamlin (Joe Gibbs Racing)

11. No. 38 - Zane Smith (Front Row Motorsports)

12. No. 24 - William Byron (Hendrick Motorsports)

13. No. 19 - Chase Briscoe (Joe Gibbs Racing)

14. No. 88 - Shane van Gisbergen (Trackhouse Racing) +1 lap

15. No. 77 - Carson Hocevar (Spire Motorsports) +1 lap

16. No. 8 - Kyle Busch (Richard Childress Racing) +1 lap

17. No. 71 - Michael McDowell (Spire Motorsports) +1 lap

18. No. 54 - Ty Gibbs (Joe Gibbs Racing) +1 lap

19. No. 1 - Ross Chastain (Trackhouse Racing) +1 lap

20. No. 10 - Ty Dillon (Kaulig Racing) +1 lap

21. No. 20 - Christopher Bell (Joe Gibbs Racing) +1 lap

22. No. 16 - AJ Allmendinger (Kaulig Racing) +1 lap

23. No. 47 - Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (Hyak Motorsports) +1 lap

24. No. 41 - Cole Custer (Haas Factory Team) +1 lap

25. No. 34 - Todd Gilliland (Front Row Motorsports) +1 lap

26. No. 43 - Erik Jones (Legacy Motor Club) +2 laps

27. No. 4 - Noah Gragson (Front Row Motorsports) +2 laps

28. No. 23 - Bubba Wallace (23XI Racing) +2 laps [FL]

29. No. 67 - Corey Heim (23XI Racing) +2 laps

30. No. 17 - Chris Buescher (RFK Racing) +2 laps

31. No. 35 - Riley Herbst (23XI Racing) +2 laps

32. No. 51 - Cody Ware (Rick Ware Racing) +3 laps

33. No. 33 - Jesse Love (Richard Childress Racing) +4 laps

34. No. 45 - Tyler Reddick (23XI Racing) +4 laps

35. No. 60 - Ryan Preece (RFK Racing) +4 laps

36. No. 42 - John Hunter Nemechek (Legacy Motor Club) +11 laps

37. No. 7 - Justin Haley (Spire Motorsports) [DNF]

38. No. 9 - Chase Elliott (Hendrick Motorsports) [DNF]