Denny Hamlin Heaps Praise On Austin Dillon After No. 3’s Richmond Redemption Silences Critics Denny Hamlin evaluates fellow racer Austin Dillon's "unexpected" win at Richmond and changes his views on

Austin Dillon’s controversial victory at Richmond last year was nothing short of a Hollywood drama. On the final lap, with the race win and a spot in the NASCAR playoffs on the line, Dillon found himself in a frantic three-way battle for the lead. Instead of cleanly passing his rivals, he used his car like a battering ram, making contact with two other drivers, first Joey Logano and then Denny Hamlin, to send them spinning out of the way. Though he crossed the finish line first, his celebration was short-lived.

NASCAR, citing overly aggressive driving, took the unprecedented step of penalizing him after the race, revoking his eligibility for the playoffs. The incident sparked a massive debate among fans and racers alike about what constitutes “hard racing” and what crosses the line into d