Richmond Raceway Highlights
Richmond — Austin Dillon sealed a spot in the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs with a composed, strategic victory at Richmond Raceway, earning his second straight win at the 0.75-mile oval.
Previous Challenges and Victory
A year after being ruled ineligible for the postseason following a final-lap incident that took out two competitors, Dillon delivered a clean finish Saturday. He used a calculated pit strategy to gain the advantage, stopping his No. 3 Chevrolet four laps ahead of Ryan Blaney’s No. 12 Ford and taking control over the closing stages.
Race Details and Results
Dillon led 107 of the 400 laps and crossed the line 2.471 seconds ahead of Alex Bowman. Blaney faded to third, followed by Joey Logano and Austin Cindric.
Implications for the Playoffs
The victory — Dillon’s sixth in the Cup Series — made him the 14th different race winner to lock into the 16-driver playoff field, which will determine the series champion over the final 10 races of the season.
Upcoming Schedule
The regular season concludes next Saturday at Daytona International Speedway, where the final two playoff spots will...