Richmond has always been a track that stirs drama, but few finishes have left as lasting a mark as Austin Dillon’s last-lap clash with Joey Logano and Denny Hamlin. That move delivered one of the most heated moments of the 2024 season, sparking debates about how far drivers should push when the checkered flag is within reach. NASCAR’s swift response, including penalties for Austin’s team, underscored just how seriously the sanctioning body took the incident.

And now, as the NASCAR Cup garage readies itself for Saturday’s Cook Out 400, Joe Gibbs Racing superstar Denny Hamlin is among the loudest voices revisiting that finish. Reflecting on what unfolded, Hamlin’s perspective mirrors the paddock’s caution and anticipation. Will Richmond deliver another flash point, or will cooler heads prevail this time around?

Denny Hamlin makes his stance clear on the incident

At last year’s Cook Out 400 at Richmond, the final lap exploded into one of the most talked-about finishes in recent NASCAR memory. Austin Dillon, desperate to end a 68-race winless streak and clinch a playoff berth, bumped Joey Logano from behind, sending Logano spinning into the wall, and then tagged Denny Hamlin’s car, slamming him into the wall as well. Despite the victory, Dillon’s win was under intense scrutiny.

NASCAR automatically allowed the window to stand, but stripped Dillon of his playoff eligibility and docked 25 points. His spotter, Brandon Benesch, was suspended after audio revealed he encouraged Dillon to wreck him (Denny Hamlin) over the radio. Logano and Hamlin both expressed their frustration publicly, and Hamlin called the result disappointing, saying, “You’ve got to pay your dues back on stuff like that,” while also acknowledging the pressure of the playoff stakes.

Hamlin isn’t exactly pleased with how last season’s contentious finish at Richmond raceway played out, but he does feel somewhat reassured by NASCAR’s decision, one year removed from when Austin Dillon collided with both him and three-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Joey Logano. As Hamlin explained at his home track on Friday, the chaotic climax for NASCAR led to a tough decision. The sanctioning body had to wrestle with the possibility of stripping a driver of playoff eligibility based on the manner of victory.

Reflecting on the incident a year later, Hamlin said, “I do feel a little bit better about it than we did 12 months ago. I just feel that I think certainly, that was the first time we’ve seen something like that happen, and then NASCAR had a precedent to set in the sense that – what do you do from here.”

NASCAR hasn’t typically penalized drivers for wrecking others to secure a win. There are past examples, like Ty Gibbs crashing into Brandon Jones at Martinsville to clinch a spot in the Championship 4, and the time when Joey Logano used a late spin of William Byron at Darlington Raceway to win a regular-season race.

But last season’s Richmond finish, with Dillon wrecking veteran drivers on the final lap, crossed a line for many, including officials. Denny Hamlin added, “If you let that go, then you open up a floodgate of crazy things that could happen that would be bad for the relevance and the legitimacy of the sport. And so I think everyone probably has a little better understanding now because of the ruling. I’m not saying I agree or disagree with it, but you certainly have a better understanding.”

NASCAR’s response to the 2024 Richmond finish was the defining moment, marking a firm stand against aggressive driving that crossed an unwritten line. The sanctioning body ruled that Austin Dillon’s win would not count toward playoff eligibility and stripped him of 25 points, prioritizing the sport’s integrity over spectacle. NASCAR acknowledges this as a necessary precedent to curb overly aggressive finishes and maintain credibility within the evolving playoff format.

Despite controversy, Austin Dillon still holds Richmond dear as “one of my favorite wins,” even though it came with playoff consequences. He remains undeterred, aiming for redemption by locking himself into this year’s playoffs with another dominant performance. He will begin Saturday’s race from the 11th starting position, a solid spot to launch his playoff push. However, this isn’t the only thing bothering Denny Hamlin. Amid his bold claim about his career, Hamlin is still concerned about the Next-Gen car.

Denny Hamlin voices the fundamental issue with Next-Gen cars

If there’s anyone who understands the challenges of NASCAR’s Next-Gen car, it’s Denny Hamlin. Speaking at a press conference at Richmond Raceway on Friday, the 58 Cup Series winner addressed concerns about the car’s performance, particularly its struggles to deliver exciting racing on short tracks like Richmond. The Joe Gibbs Racing driver admitted, “We’ve had exciting moments in this car, I don’t disagree with that. The issue was that it happened early in the Next-Gen era, where there was so much disparity between the fast cars and the slower cars. Now, everyone overtime, since there’s been no development for years and years (and) nothing’s rolling change, the field (has) just tightened up.”

Now, with little to no development and nearly identical parts coming from single-source suppliers, Hamlin says the field has tightened to the point where passing has become impressively difficult even for the best cars and drivers. He explained, “That’s the fundamental issue we’re facing, and unless major changes are made, it’s going to be tough to fix.”

Since the introduction of the Next-Gen car in 2022, NASCAR’s short track package has faced heavy criticism. Once must-see venues like Richmond, Martinsville, and Bristol have struggled to recapture the thrilling racing that made them fan favorites. Despite these concerns, Hamlin will line up fourth for Saturday’s Cook Out 400 at Richmond. Who do you think will win this race?