It’s not the first time that a spotter has asked his driver to wreck somebody to gain track position. But it probably has not been as explicit as Austin Dillon’s team made it last weekend. As cars were coming around turns 3 and 4 at Richmond Raceway, Dillon’s spotter could be heard screaming “Wreck him” just before he spun both Joey Logano and Denny Hamlin. This put the spotters on Door Bumper Clear in a dilemma over how these calls should be made.
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Brett Griffin admitted to telling Elliott Sadler to wreck somebody but only if the other driver was being too much of a menace. Freddie Kraft, on the other hand, had insinuated it but not directly. Frustration can affect drivers and spotters and the latter could just ask a driver to do something against the rules out of anger. Therefore, TJ Majors came up with the idea that there should be a code word for when they want their driver to wreck somebody.
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“What I’m taking from this conversation is we now need to have code words for wrecking,” he said. “Give him the pizza…watermelon. This might be the first time I have ever seen second place take out first and third in three and four in the race. What’s that guy in the video? Hey, my safe word is pineapple,” he said.
The evidence of Dillon’s spotter asking him to wreck the competition is clear as day and it could lead to serious repercussions. Spotters do not fall outside the purview of NASCAR’s rules and it would not be a surprise if a fine and a suspension follow. The #3 Chevy driver might have won the race but his spotter’s conduct was as unsportsmanlike as it gets.
How is Dillon’s controversial move being received?
The driver of the #3 car and Richard Childress Racing did not seem too worried as to how their win came to be. The team has already said that they did not authorize the alleged call to wreck other drivers. At the end of the day, however, they got the win and they are into the playoffs for the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series season.
“No matter what happens here, this is going to go down as a dirty move. Do we agree with that? No matter what happens here, he’s going to make the playoffs, and he’s going to keep the win. His sponsor’s happy, his owner’s happy,” Griffin added.
There hasn’t been any official communication regarding any penalties for the Richmond race from NASCAR just yet. Regardless of what the governing body decides, Dillon will have to look over his shoulder for the rest of the season as the drivers he wrecked might seek revenge on track.
