The respect between drivers on the track has gone down with time in NASCAR. Not many care about racing clean anymore. They only focus on finishing in the best possible position, no matter the damage done, and Austin Dillon has first-hand experience of the same.
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An old showdown between Tony Stewart and Dillon in Indianapolis is a good example of the character difference between drivers from different generations.
Dillon narrated the incident in Atlanta when he was asked about Denny Hamlin’s opinion that driver etiquette is more or less non-existent on superspeedways today. He said that Stewart had given him way and allowed him to pass during a past Brickyard 400. But when he came back up from behind, Dillon did not return the favor.
This led the three-time NASCAR Cup Series champion to push him out of the way. “He got out of my way like it was nothing,” he noted. “I was impressed that he did that, but when he came back, I didn’t really pay the favor, and he let me know.” In response to Hamlin’s contention, Dillon expressed that the lack of etiquette today is because of the racing product.
The Next Gen Cup car has only exacerbated the issue. With the level of parity among the field today, passing has become even more difficult. Thus, drivers today are willing to take any measures to overtake the competition, something which was not the case back when Stewart was in his heyday.
He explained, “If anything, the speedway racing needs to be looked at. At something that we can improve and make it better than what it currently is.” He believes that going to tracks and trying to run with different configurations could help make the races better. Yet another driver batting for more tests and practice runs at superspeedways.
When Austin Dillon replaced Stewart in the #14 Stewart-Haas Racing entry
Back in 2013, Dillon was one of the most promising drivers climbing the ropes of NASCAR. Following his Craftsman Truck Series victory at Eldora Speedway that year, Stewart chose him as the replacement driver for his Cup Series car. The icon had broken his right leg in a sprint car crash before the race in Michigan and needed someone to take his place.
He texted Dillon at the time, “I’m glad I’ve got a good wheel man in my race car this weekend.” The fondness is apparent, considering their similar background in dirt racing. The duo even had secret test sessions at the Eldora Speedway. Dillon said of them, “When we went the first time to Eldora together … he let me go out first.”
“He wanted me to be the first one to hit the dirt. I thought that was very special. He’s always been very helpful to me and my career.” Austin Dillon ultimately finished 14th in Michigan. He started another race, in Talladega, and came back with a 26th-place finish. Many expected their association to continue, but he went on to join Richard Childress Racing the following season.
![The RCR team had a challenging day during the third race of the Cup season. Although Kyle Busch crossed the finish line in 5th place and had been a frontrunner, having led for 43 laps, the disappointing 35th-place finish of Austin Dillon only compounded the team's frustrating results. While Busch maintained his composure, Dillon was visibly upset with the on-track incident involving Denny Hamlin. During the race at Circuit of the Americas, on lap 78, Austin Dillon and Denny Hamlin were vying for the P20 position when Hamlin, after locking his #11 Toyota's tires, unexpectedly collided with the driver's side of Dillon's #3 car, hurtling it into the gravel and triggering a caution. Television replays captured a trail of dust from the Joe Gibbs Racing car just moments before it seemingly lost braking power and instigated the crash. However, the situation escalated when NASCAR shared the video of the incident with the caption, "The Nos. 3 and 11 make contact and the yellow flag flies." Unable to contain his frustration, Dillon responded sharply, "Correction. The No. 11 made contact with the No. 3." The sentiment among fans largely favored Dillon's perspective. One spectator commented, "And then his teammate wins. They knew what they were doing!" while another lamented, "Sadly if this didn't happen there a good chance @KyleBusch could have won today." Yet another chimed in, "Yep! Always cover Gibbs/Toyota/Hamlin. It’s all headline semantics. He drove into your side, video supports no attempt to steer away." Due to the caution, Bell was able to have fresher tires, which helped him pass Busch with five laps remaining. Otherwise, the old tires would have most likely slowed down the #20 car. That's why the fans blamed Hamlin for instigating a deliberate wreck that helped Bell to outpace the #8 RCR driver. However, one fan referenced a past incident to needle Dillon, recalling when he maneuvered the #11 driver into the wall at Richmond last year to secure his playoff position [which ultimately did not pan out due to NASCAR's decision], remarking, "Remember when you right rear hooked the 11 into the wall to win?" Nevertheless, the replay footage seemed to clearly show it was Hamlin who initiated the collision with the #3 driver. Dillon's frustration was quite visible during his post-race interview as well, where he expressed, "Our car handled well, and we were just trying to be patient until the end. With 18 laps to go, we were running inside the top 20, and the #11 locked up his front tires and wiped us out." "My team did a great job trying to make the repairs, but the damage in the rear was too much to fix, and we had to go to the garage." He voiced disappointment on behalf of his RCR team, lamenting that they had a car capable of finishing in the top 15, and it was unfortunate they couldn't demonstrate the same at COTA. Nevertheless, Dillon appeared optimistic about the upcoming race in Phoenix, hinting at a rebound from the setback.](https://cdn-wp.thesportsrush.com/2025/03/d8fc8a02-austin-dillon.png?format=auto&w=384&q=75)
