Richard Childress Racing’s Austin Dillon thought he would advance to the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs for the first time since 2022 after winning Sunday night’s race at Richmond Raceway.

However, because of the manner in which he claimed the win, destroying Joey Logano of Team Penske and Denny Hamlin of Joe Gibbs Racing in the final turn of the final overtime lap, NASCAR decided not to count his victory toward playoff eligibility.

Dillon’s victory stands, the fifth of his career and the first since winning at Daytona International Speedway in August 2022. However, he is no longer eligible for the playoffs and the five playoff points he earned with the win were deducted from his point total.

However, Dillon is not completely out of the question of making the playoffs; he can still participate with a win in one of the last three races of the regular season at Michigan International Speedway, Daytona International Speedway or Darlington Raceway.

Dillon sits 265 points below the playoff cut line after his 25-point penalty, with three races remaining in the regular season and only 55 points awarded for non-winners in each race, so the driver of the No. 3 Chevrolet will have to win if he wants to potentially secure his sixth playoff spot.

Luckily for him, the three remaining tracks on the regular season calendar are some of his best tracks. He has finished as high as fourth at Michigan (2015 and 2018), is a two-time winner at Daytona (2018 and 2022) and has finished as high as second at Darlington (2020).

There have been 12 more winners so far this season and all have secured their place in the playoff field of 16 drivers.

Assuming no additional burden is placed on him, another win before the playoffs would actually secure Dillon a spot in the four-round, 10-race postseason; there would then no longer be the risk of there being more winners than playoff spots, which would put Dillon in a precarious position, sitting at the bottom of the points standings in 31st place, 11 spots behind the next lowest winner (Team Penske’s Austin Cindric).

If he manages to win one of these three races, he will be credited with five playoff points from that victory, but he would still not keep the five playoff points he originally earned from his victory in Richmond.

Michigan International Speedway is scheduled to host the FireKeepers Casino 400 this Sunday, August 18. USA Network is expected to provide live coverage beginning at 2:30 p.m. ET. Start a free trial of FuboTV and don’t miss it!