Richard Childress has claimed that NASCAR's decision to penalize Austin Dillon and not allow him to compete in the playoffs could cost the team over $1m.
The #3 driver was victorious in the Cook Out 400 at Richmond Raceway earlier this month, but it was hugely controversial due to the fact that the Richard Childress Racing driver wrecked two of his rivals on the last lap to take the win.
In the days after the race, NASCAR handed out an unprecedented penalty, ruling that whilst Dillon would be allowed to keep his victory, it would not make him eligible for the playoffs.
Dillon and his team appealed the decision, but this was rejected by The National Motorsports Appeals Panel, who upheld NASCAR's original decision.
An appeal was then made to the Final Appeals Officer, but it was only to end in further bad news for the #3 driver, with NASCAR's decision upheld for good.
NASCAR penalized Austin Dillon by removing his playoff eligibility
Childress: It's a million dollars to us
Speaking ahead of this weekend's race in Darlington, team owner Richard Childress expressed his disappointment with the verdict, claiming it had cost his team greatly and changed last-lap racing.
"Their ruling has changed NASCAR racing on the final lap forever," Childress explained via a media call.
"The drivers now, they know where a line is, or they think they do. They don't.
"If you go in a car length – two-and-three-quarters was exactly how far back he was, and the other car slows down 3 miles an hour on the last lap, you're going to bump in a little to get up the race track. Is that over now?
"What is the line? And then if you go to racing somebody off the corner and they get loose and get into you, then does that mean you're out of the chase?
"That's all I got to say about the ruling. But it has changed racing for a win for sure."
Childress then touched on the financial implications of the penalty and the subsequent appeal decisions, explaining: "It’s over a million dollars to us. That's what it boils down to.
"The largest fine ever in NASCAR. I’m just disappointed, disappointed, disappointed."
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