Austin Dillon’s hopes for a spot in the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs took a significant hit Sunday after a mid-race tangle with Brad Keselowski in Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series event at Michigan International Speedway.
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Dillon’s No. 3 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet had just crossed the start-finish line in sixth place at the end of Stage 2 in the FireKeepers Casino 400. But his car made contact with the No. 2 Team Penske Ford of seventh-place Brad Keselowski, sending the No. 3 hard into the outside retaining wall on the track’s sweeping frontstretch.
“My bad, guys,” said Dillon, who was later checked and released from the track’s infield care center. Team owner Richard Childress replied on the team radio: “Hit him on purpose. I’m an old man but I’d kick his ass.”
Keselowski apologized on the No. 2 team radio. “Aw, man. I didn’t want to do that,” he said, adding the contact was not intentional.
Dillon — in a fevered pursuit of RCR teammate Tyler Reddick for a final playoff spot — had led two laps and finished among the top 10 in both stages. One race remains in the regular season — Saturday’s finale at Daytona International Speedway (7 p.m. ET, NBC).
This story will be updated.