Motorsports

NASCAR Richmond takeaways: Austin Dillon’s surprise, playoff picture and more

Published

4 months ago

August 18, 2025

On a blistering hot day at Indianapolis Colts training camp last month, Austin Dillon sought one of the few available slivers of shade as he watched players go through their practice routine.

Encountering shade is something Dillon is plenty familiar with — he’s gotten it from NASCAR fans during his entire racing career, labeled as the undeserving “silver spoon” driver who only keeps his job because his grandfather, Richard Childress, owns the race team.

But for a guy who has heard it all, he’s remarkably unfazed by the criticism. Frankly, it’s because he doesn’t agree with it; in his heart, Dillon knows he would step out of the seat if it was the best thing for Richard Childress Racing.

Dillon has a scout’s mindset for athletes. He demonstrated that by pointing out various players on the Colts’ field and breaking down their attributes (Dillon would be a formidable opponent in your fantasy football league) and discussing his roster choices for the Carolina Cowboys (a Professional Bull Riders team for which he is the general manager).

And genuinely, Dillon is clear-eyed about his own abilities as well. At age 35, Dillon knows he is not Denny Hamlin or Joey Logano, which is why last year he cried during the appeals process for his infamous Richmond victory — emotional that until a late caution, he was going to beat the two future Hall of Famers straight up.

Earlier this year, Dillon told The Athletic he would transition to a full-time management role “when I have exhausted all efforts and the success hasn’t come with it and the right person is there to pick up the weight and I can successfully help the company in a better way at RCR.”

“When that time comes, I’ll be ready for it, and I’ll try and make us as competitive as I can, always,” he added.

But for now, Dillon believes he’s still good enough to get it done, to be an asset to RCR while in the driver’s seat of the No. 3 car. Nights like Saturday seem to back that up. Back at Richmond one year later, he led more than 100 laps in the most complete race of his career and earned a win that vaulted him into the playoffs.

Burned it down and left no doubt.@austindillon3 takes @RCRracing back to Victory Lane. pic.twitter.com/ZlmfPhdUTt

— NASCAR (@NASCAR) August 17, 2025

He has back-to-back seasons with a win for the first time since 2017-18 — and during a time in which RCR has struggled. If you want a measurement of how the team is doing overall, just look at Dillon’s teammate, the great Kyle Busch — who has not won at all in the last two and a half seasons.

And Dillon is doing all of this with more responsibilities than a typical driver, because he’s involved with RCR management decisions.

“If the outside people knew how much he did on top of this — he’ll be at the shop on Monday at a meeting with Richard, talking about the health of the company,” crew chief Richard Boswell said. “He’s got a lot on his plate, which makes it harder for him to work at this level as a Cup driver as well. But he stays at it all week long.”

On that steamy day at Colts training camp, Dillon and Busch hung around until practice was over to meet cornerback Kenny Moore II. Moore, who described himself as a big race fan, was enthusiastic about meeting both drivers — and not just Busch, the future Hall of Famer.

“I’ve been seeing y’all names for a long time now,” Moore told them.

Indeed, Dillon has quietly put together a 12-year Cup Series career in which he has six Cup wins — including two crown jewels — and two lower-series championships. But for anyone tired of seeing his name, there’s bad news: You’re going to be hearing about Dillon for a long time to come, because he’s being groomed to take the reins of RCR when Childress, now 79, eventually steps away.

Dillon said the two men already have “knock-down, drag-out” fights about the direction of the company at times because Childress is “loyal to a fault” with personnel whereas Dillon sees the need for change. But Dillon feels he’s making an impact, even if it’s not immediate.

“He usually has a way about it where you tell him one thing and he’s going to get upset about it,” Dillon said. “Then two weeks later (he) turns around (and says), ‘What do you think about this?’ ‘That’s a great idea, man. I love that.’”

Reddick at risk?

Dillon was 28th in the point standings prior to Saturday night, so his playoff berth was certainly unexpected with two races remaining. And combined with a bad night for Tyler Reddick — after Reddick was spun in a chain-reaction incident triggered by Daniel Suárez — there’s suddenly a dramatic shift in the potential playoff field.

That’s because Reddick, who is currently seventh in the standings and has shown plenty of speed at times this season despite not winning, is now in jeopardy of missing the cut. That’s shocking, considering the more likely scenario heading into Richmond was Reddick would clinch a berth if there was no new winner.

But now Reddick is only 29 points ahead of Alex Bowman, who currently has the final position on points, and if there is another new winner at Daytona to take a guaranteed berth, just one driver will make the field based on points. Should Reddick crash at Daytona (entirely possible given the frequency of the Big One) and Bowman end up with a good night, Reddick could be out.

Suddenly, Tyler Reddick will have to sweat it out at Daytona. A bad day there, plus a new winner and a good day for Alex Bowman could doom his playoff hopes. (Samuel Corum / Getty Images)

Did anyone see this coming? Surely not as recently as last week, when Reddick left Watkins Glen with a 117-point lead over the cutoff spot. Even if there were two new winners, he was still 57 points — almost an entire race — ahead of Bowman.

But Dillon’s win, along with the ill-fated Suárez wreck and Bowman’s excellent Richmond race (a second-place finish) suddenly combined to bring doubt into play. Now, a driver who made a Championship 4 appearance last year and is ahead of eight of this season’s playoff drivers in the point standings, has to sweat it out for one more race.

If you were Reddick’s team, what strategy would you use at Daytona? You would have to assume there will be a new winner in your scenario-planning, so that leaves a points race with Bowman. One idea would be to hang back and try to force Bowman into running hard; after all, Bowman would have to be on offense for stage points and his overall result. While that could appear conservative, it also provides some level of protection from the Big One and letting others take themselves out (thus filling the bottom of the running order with DNFs and gambling Bowman cannot gain 30 points that way).

Greatyear

While it’s unfortunate tire supplier Goodyear has been given the onus of fixing what ails NASCAR’s Next Gen car on short tracks, the company certainly provided more than just a glimmer of hope on Saturday night.

The race was entertaining and interesting almost entirely because of the tire wear. The various strategies allowed for a wide discrepancy in speed, which created passing opportunities — which is what many have been pleading for, particularly on short tracks.

Does it mean Goodyear can replicate this everywhere by bringing a soft tire? No, not necessarily. Multi-groove Richmond, last repaved in 2004, is one of NASCAR’s oldest surfaces and naturally wears tires. Some of the newer repaves would require Goodyear to go even softer with its tire compounds, which is a stretch given the company’s current tools.

So while Richmond showed what is possible with the car, it also should be enjoyed on its own merits instead of viewed as the new standard going forward for other short tracks. At this time, that doesn’t seem realistic.

Lord, Byron!

William Byron won his first regular-season championship on Saturday night after a 12th-place finish — combined with Hendrick Motorsports teammate Chase Elliott’s first DNF of the year — was enough to clinch the prize of 15 bonus points with one race remaining before the playoffs begin.

Even though Byron hit a slump with a stretch of poor results this summer (he finished outside the top 15 in six of eight races before winning earlier this month at Iowa Speedway), he believed his No. 24 team showed enough speed all along. That helped alleviate some of the typical concerns that have come when the team gets off to a hot start and then slips in the midseason stretch.

“We’re in rhythm, in sync,” he said. “The years we’ve been on the other side, it’s a lot of questions, a lot of doubt that things are going to work out.

“Now we’ve been kind of through the wringer of a lot of different things this year. Every race has kind of been different in terms of what we fight. … It feels nice to go into the playoffs hitting on all cylinders, just operating well. I don’t feel like we’ve ever really slowed down.”

What’s particularly notable about Saturday night’s achievement is Byron had coughed up a triple-digit lead in the standings when Elliott roared back to take the top spot by 16 points at Dover (less than a month ago). Then, in just four races, Byron reclaimed the lead and did enough to wrap up the title before even taking the green flag for the regular-season finale.

(Photo of Austin Dillon celebrating Saturday’s win: Samuel Corum / Getty Images)

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Plane Crash in North Carolina Claims Life of NASCAR Veteran Greg Biffle – Speedway Digest

Published

1 hour ago

December 18, 2025

Your Sports Nation

A small jet owned by former NASCAR star Greg Biffle crashed during a landing attempt at Statesville Regional Airport in Statesville, North Carolina, early Thursday morning, claiming the lives of all six people aboard. The Cessna Citation C550, registered to Biffle’s company GB Aviation Leasing, had taken off moments earlier but turned back and crashed near the runway at approximately 10:15 a.m., bursting into flames upon impact. Federal investigators from the FAA and NTSB are on-site, with a full investigation underway.

“We are devastated by the loss of our loved ones. This tragedy has left all of our families heartbroken beyond words. Greg and Cristina were devoted parents and active philanthropists whose lives were centered around their young son Ryder and Greg’s daughter Emma (mother – Nicole Lunders).” Family Statement

“Emma was a wonderful human being with a kind soul who was loved by many people. Ryder was an active, curious and infinitely joyful child. Dennis Dutton and his son Jack were deeply loved as well, and their loss is felt by all who knew them. Craig Wadsworth was beloved by many in the NASCAR community and will be missed by those who knew him. Each of them meant everything to us, and their absence leaves an immeasurable void in our lives.” Family Statement Continued

Greg Biffle, 55, was a celebrated figure in NASCAR history. His career began in the late 1990s in the Craftsman Truck Series, where he quickly made a name for himself by winning Rookie of the Year honors in 1998 and capturing the series championship in 2000. He then moved to the Busch Series (now Xfinity Series), earning the championship in 2002 after a dominant season. These early successes paved the way for his full-time Cup Series debut in 2003 with Roush Racing.

Biffle went on to secure 19 victories in the Cup Series, with his best season coming in 2005 when he scored six wins and finished second in the championship standings. Known for his versatility and aggressive driving style, he became one of the few drivers to win titles in both the Truck and Busch Series, cementing his reputation as one of NASCAR’s most accomplished competitors.

After retiring from full-time racing in 2016, Biffle remained active in motorsports and aviation. He also gained attention for his humanitarian efforts, including using his piloting skills to deliver supplies to hurricane-stricken areas in 2024.

“All of us at RFK Racing are devastated by the heartbreaking news involving the Biffle family. Greg Biffle has long been a cherished member of our racing family. As a person, family man and driver, his accomplishments helped form a cornerstone of our organization. We extend our deepest condolences to the Biffle family and to all of their loved ones and friends during this incredibly difficult time.” RFK Statement

Local reports suggest Biffle’s wife and two children were among the victims, though official confirmation is pending.

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U.S. 131, Baby Gators events added to NHRA Top Alcohol schedule

Published

1 hour ago

December 18, 2025

Your Sports Nation

NHRA has announced exciting enhancements to the 2025 NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series schedule in the Top Alcohol Dragster and Funny Car categories. The addition of the NHRA Great Lakes Nationals at U.S. 131 Motorsports Park will also mark the debut of the alcohol classes under the NHRA banner in Michigan, Sept. 18-20.

In the East Region, the addition of Gainesville Raceway’s iconic Baby Gators event, March 12-14, marks a major expansion of competitive opportunities for Top Alcohol Dragster and Top Alcohol Funny Car teams, giving teams another high-profile stage to begin their championship campaigns to kick off NHRA’s 75th Anniversary season.

The event at U.S. 131 will fall under the Central Region banner, moving Summit Motorsports Park’s national event into the East Region.

The season launches in iconic fashion as teams converge in Gainesville, Fla., for one of drag racing’s crown jewels. The NHRA Gatornationals sets the tone for the year, offering early-season intensity and a massive fan turnout. Top Alcohol teams begin their regional campaigns on one of the sport’s quickest surfaces.

Just one week later, Gainesville Raceway becomes the center of attention again as the Baby Gators take on new significance. This back-to-back Gainesville stretch gives teams a rare early-season doubleheader and a chance to build momentum before the tour heads north.

The tour shifts to the unique spectacle of four-lane competition at the NHRA 4-Wide Nationals at zMAX Dragway, followed by the NHRA Potomac Nationals at Maryland International Raceway.

A fan favorite and one of the most polished facilities in the country, Summit Motorsports Park hosts a pivotal pair of events, kicking off with the Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals, followed by the track’s regional event, which will count as a home race for both the East and Central Regions.

The tour heads to the Northeast for a Fourth of July weekend classic at Lebanon Valley Raceway, followed by a trip to New England Dragway.

The schedule culminates on drag racing’s biggest stage, the Cornwell Quality Tools NHRA U.S. Nationals, which will serve as a home event for all regions, bringing together the best of the best for the most prestigious race of the year.

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Retired NASCAR driver among seven killed in North Carolina plane crash | Motorsports News

Published

2 hours ago

December 18, 2025

Your Sports Nation

Greg Biffle’s plane caught fire after crash-landing at a regional airport, state authorities said. Other victims have not yet been identified.

Published On 18 Dec 2025

A former NASCAR driver has been identified as one of seven people who died in a plane crash in the southern United States.

Authorities said Greg Biffle and members of his family died when a private jet crashed on Thursday while trying to land at Statesville Regional Airport, north of Charlotte, North Carolina.

Jeff Gordon’s wife shares emotional message after family announcement – Motorsport – Sports

Published

2 hours ago

December 18, 2025

Your Sports Nation

Jeff Gordon’s wife and longtime model, Ingrid Vandebosch, has shared a touching message after their eldest daughter, Ella Sofia Gordon, was offered her dream college placement for the Class of 2030.

Ella shared a behind-the-scenes video on TikTok showing the moment she read her acceptance letter from Michigan, while wearing a Wolverines sweatshirt, with Ingrid and her younger brother Leo Benjamin beside her, while NASCAR legend Jeff watched on virtually.

In the video, captioned: “Hopes were definitely up! Go blue baby!” Jeff could be heard saying prior to the moment of truth: “We weren’t supposed to get our hopes up too much, but I think that’s gone.”

Upon reading her email, Ella and her mom both screamed with excitement as Jeff could be heard saying: “Oh my God! Congratulations. Oh my God, that’s amazing! Wow!”

The tear-filled video was swiftly reshared by Ingrid, who added a moving message in support of her daughter in the caption. “No matter where this journey takes you, always remember: you are capable of amazing things, you are deeply loved, and I will always be cheering for you,” she wrote.

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“Congratulations on this incredible achievement. I’m so proud of you…today and always. I love you, Mama.”

Both posts quickly prompted a flood of congratulatory messages from around the NASCAR and collegiate world, with Michigan commenting, Get ready to live the Wolverine dream! Congrats!” While Dover Motor Speedway reshared a photo of a young Ella and Leo celebrating their dad’s win at the track in 2014, along with the caption, “We’re so proud of her!”

Jeff, who did not attend college as he was busy working toward a Hall of Fame NASCAR career, currently serves as Hendrick Motorsports’ vice chairman, having last raced part-time for the team where he spent his entire Cup Series career back in 2016.

The four-time Cup Series champion will be hoping he can help guide Hendrick to a 16th driver’s championship in 2026, with the new-look Chevrolet Camaro ZL1. Leading the charge will be reigning two-time champion Kyle Larson, who snatched the title from within Joe Gibbs Racing’s Denny Hamlin’s grasp in the final laps at Phoenix Raceway in November, courtesy of a late race caution and differing pit strategies.

The 2026 season will look a little different, however, as not only have the road courses in Chicago and Mexico City been dropped from the schedule, but in their places an entirely new street course has been added in San Diego at the Naval Base Coronado, to help celebrate the Navy’s 250th anniversary. What’s more, Chicagoland Speedway is set to make its long-awaited comeback, having last hosted a Cup Series race in 2018.

Furthermore, the NextGen cars will see an increase in horsepower from 670 to 750 on tracks under 1.5 miles in length, as well as on all road courses in 2026, as NASCAR works to address some of the rampant criticism lobbied at the Gen-7 offering.

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Joint Statement from the Biffle, Grossu, Dutton & Lunders Families – Speedway Digest

Published

2 hours ago

December 18, 2025

Your Sports Nation

We are devastated by the loss of our loved ones. This tragedy has left all of our families heartbroken beyond words.

Greg and Cristina were devoted parents and active philanthropists whose lives were centered around their young son Ryder and Greg’s daughter Emma (mother – Nicole Lunders).

Emma was a wonderful human being with a kind soul who was loved by many people. Ryder was an active, curious and infinitely joyful child.

Dennis Dutton and his son Jack were deeply loved as well, and their loss is felt by all who knew them.

Craig Wadsworth was beloved by many in the NASCAR community and will be missed by those who knew him.

Each of them meant everything to us, and their absence leaves an immeasurable void in our lives.

We ask for privacy, compassion and understanding as we grieve and begin to process this unimaginable loss. We are grateful for the kindness and support that has been extended to our families during this incredibly difficult time.

At this moment, our focus is on honoring their lives and supporting one another.

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Former NASCAR driver Greg Biffle, family among 7 dead in plane crash

Published

2 hours ago

December 18, 2025

Your Sports Nation

By Dominic Aragon and Jonathan Fjeld

STATESVILLE, N.C. — Former NASCAR competitor Greg Biffle, his wife Cristina, two children, Craig Wadsworth, and Dennis and Jack Dutton were killed in a plane crash Thursday morning (Dec. 18) in Statesville, N.C., an official with the N.C. State Highway Patrol confirmed.

The National Transportation and Safety Board is investigating a deadly crash at the airport. The airport confirmed there was a crash at around 11 a.m. ET.

The tail number, N257BW, belonged to GB Aviation Leasing, LLC – managed by Biffle, according to records.

FlightAware data showed the plane took off from the airport at around 10 a.m. ET and then was reported to be on the ground near the airport, 32 minutes later.

“NASCAR is devastated by the tragic loss of Greg Biffle, his wife Cristina, daughter Emma, son Ryder, Craig Wadsworth and Dennis and Jack Dutton in a fatal plane crash,” the sanctioning body said in part in a statement Thursday.

“Greg was more than a champion driver, he was a beloved member of the NASCAR community, a fierce competitor, and a friend to so many. His passion for racing, his integrity, and his commitment to fans and fellow competitors alike made a lasting impact on the sport.

“On the track, Greg’s talent and tenacity earned him championships in the NASCAR Xfinity Series and NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series, as well as numerous wins and accolades in the NASCAR Cup Series. Beyond his racing career, he gave of himself for the betterment of our community. Most notably, Greg spent countless hours of his time helping the citizens of North Carolina during the disasters that followed Hurricane Helene. His tireless work saved lives.

“Our thoughts and deepest condolences go out to Greg’s entire family, friends, and all who were touched by his life.”

Additionally, Jack Roush, Biffle’s former car owner across his decorated NASCAR Cup and O’Reilly Auto Parts Series career, issued the following statement:

Statement from Jack Roush on today’s tragedy. pic.twitter.com/DpuCgGr70N

— RFK Racing (@RFKracing) December 18, 2025

Pictures circulated on social media, showing the fiery crash. Officials briefed the media at around 12:30 p.m. ET, confirming the jet crashed at the end of the east runway. They confirmed the airport was closed to allow the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to investigate the incident.

Officials did not have a cause of the crash. They also could not identify anyone who was onboard the plane – and did not take any questions.

Garrett Mitchell, the social media content creator-turned-racer known as Cleetus McFarland, who has been mentored by Biffle, posted the following on social media:

“Unfortunately, I can confirm Greg Biffle, his wife Cristina, daughter Emma, and son Ryder were on that plane… because they were on their way to spend the afternoon with us. We are devastated. I’m so sorry to share this.“

Further details are limited. We will provide updates when they become available.

Background on “The Biff”: Greg Biffle

Biffle stepped away from full-time NASCAR Cup Series racing in 2016 after 14 seasons in Roush-Fenway Racing’s No. 16 Ford. He earned 19 wins, 92 top-five finishes, 175 top-10s and 13 poles in 510 career Cup Series starts – with a best points finish of second in 2005 when he led 1,322 laps and won six times.

Biffle shot to stardom in July of 2003 when 20 million viewers saw him earn his first Cup win in the Pepsi 400 at Daytona. His “wild-style” No. 16 embodied a new era of NASCAR, dominated by high banked turns and high speeds:

Four wins at Michigan
Three wins at Homestead-Miami
Two wins at Texas, Kansas, Darlington, Dover each
One win at California, Pocono, New Hampshire, Daytona each

Credit: Photo by Jeff Curry/NASCAR via Getty Image

Biffle is the closest anyone has ever come to winning a championship in NASCAR’s top three national series – as the 2002 NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series champion and the 2000 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series champion. He earned 20 NOAPS wins and 17 NCTS wins, totaling 56 wins in his NASCAR career.

The NASCAR Hall of Fame nominated Biffle for possible induction in 2024. He told TRE he was “overwhelmed, excited” about the nomination, adding he wouldn’t rule out running another Daytona 500.

After stepping away from full-time racing, Biffle has come back to race five times in the NASCAR Cup Series, twice in the NCTS, and three times in the ARCA Menards Series West. In his first race back, a June 7, 2019 NCTS race at Texas Motor Speedway for Kyle Busch Motorsports, he led 18 of 167 laps and won.

The win was a big deal but has been a footnote in the life Biffle has lived after retiring from full-time NASCAR racing. In the wake of Hurricane Helene in 2024, he offered his helicopter to help with relief efforts and went on to help with relief efforts in Jamaica.

Biffle spoke to WFMY News 2 about his work in a sit-down interview: