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5h ago

Austin Dillon Leads 107 Laps at Richmond to Clinch Playoff Berth, Upends Bubble Before Daytona

Dillon’s clinch narrows the field to two remaining berths heading into a volatile Daytona finale.

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Austin Dillon won his way into the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs with victory at Richmond Raceway. Image: Getty Images
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Overview

  • The No. 3 dominated the Cook Out 400, leading 107 laps and becoming the season’s 14th different winner to lock into the 16-driver playoff field.
  • His triumph vaulted him from 28th in the standings and immediately tightened the playoff picture with only two spots left before the regular-season finale.
  • Tyler Reddick (+89 to the cut line) and Alex Bowman (+60) hold the provisional points berths and risk elimination if a new winner emerges at Daytona.
  • Several contenders now face must‑win scenarios at Daytona, including Kyle Busch, Brad Keselowski, Chris Buescher, Ryan Preece, Michael McDowell and Daniel Suárez.
  • Denny Hamlin praised Dillon’s clean execution but questioned the format’s fairness as even a low‑ranked surprise winner, such as Cody Ware, could oust consistent performers, while analysts cited RCR’s Richmond prowess as evidence the win wasn’t a fluke.