Austin Dillon, driver of the #3 Bass Pro Shops Chevrolet, and Joey Logano, driver of the #22 Shell Pennzoil Ford, race during the NASCAR Cup Series Cook Out 400 at Richmond Raceway on August 11, 2024 in Richmond, Virginia. (Photo by Sean Gardner/Getty Images)

NASCAR Wrecking is Racing Series: Dale Jr agrees w/Logano fine

At Richmond Raceway in the ‘Wrecking is Racing’ NASCAR Cook Out 400 this past weekend as Austin Dillon wrecked two more talented opponents (Logano and Hamlin) in the final corner to win, only for NASCAR to slap him down and overturn his playoff qualification Wednesday.

However, Dillon kept the win because in NASCAR, you can always cheat and keep your win.

But Joey Logano received a punishment as well for his own actions afterward, and NASCAR legend Dale Earnhardt Jr. had a lot to say about it.

On the latest episode of his Dale Jr Download podcast, Dale Jr. said that he was okay with Logano getting a $50,000 fine for doing a burnout near Dillon’s pit lane in retaliation for Dillon contacting his car. Dillon’s family and young children were just a few yards away from Logano when he did that.

“Joey Logano was also fined for what we saw of his actions on pit road, $50,000,” Dale Jr. said. “As far as I remember that’s pretty standard for that kind of action. Although I thought his activity on pit road was a little hairier or crazier than what I’ve seen in the past.

“But I also know that pit road probably shouldn’t have been that busy as far as individuals walking around, running around. So, you know if you feel like that’s fair, some might think that’s a little bit light. But NASCAR did the right thing at least by getting Joey’s attention for what he did.”

Granted, many fans believe that it was irresponsible for Dillon and Richard Childress Racing (RCR) to allow young children so close to the track to begin with, but NASCAR clearly wanted to send a message to Logano that retaliation off the track is not tolerated.