NASCAR: Is Austin Dillon Ready To Become A Contender?

After a couple of dismal NASCAR seasons in the Richard Childress Racing No. 3, Austin Dillon has finished 9th, 11th, and 5th in the first three events of 2016. Has he finally found footing in the Sprint Cup Series and become a real Cup driver?

That’s a rhetorical question, not literal. Of course Austin Dillon is a NASCAR Sprint Cup driver; he’s been making starts since 2011. His first full season was 2014, and as many may know, he put the No. 3 on the pole for the Daytona 500 for the first time since 1996. His Cup record in 88 starts (as of Las Vegas) stands at three top-fives and 11 top-10s. So of course, he’s been around long enough to gain some form of credibility as a Cup driver.

But look at those stats again and ask that question again: Is Dillon finally a Cup driver?

Understandably, his rookie year was a bit of a drag. Although he won the pole for the 2014 Daytona 500, he only scored one top-five and four top-10s. That’s nothing to bat an eye at, but take into account fellow 2014 rookie Kyle Larson’s results (eight top-fives, 17 top-10s), and it’s clear that the No. 3 Gil Martin-led crew suffered the typical rookie season. He didn’t really make an impact that year,

In 2015, his sophomore year, he bested the previous year’s top-10 total by one, but in the end he finished 21st in the standings, compared to 20th the year before. He post some more notable results, such as an eighth at Loudon and a seventh at Charlotte, but more notably was his August 2015 showing at Michigan, where he started fourth, led 19 laps, made a go at eventual winner Matt Kenseth, and finished fourth. It was a great day and a much-needed run for Dillon.

However, in 2016, Dillon has reeled off a ninth, an 11th, and a fifth, all in the first three races of the season. Three races isn’t really much to draw conclusions from. Sure, Dillon has ripped off three excellent finishes for that No. 3 team, which is unfamiliar territory. But it be a mistake to say that Dillon hasn’t gotten better.

There are hordes of NASCAR fans who would be more than happy to disagree, but it’s for not. Dillon has truly gotten better. A large part of that could be credited to this new downforce package the Cup series is using for 2016. It favors drivers who have a background on dirt, like Dillon. It’s a package that puts everything in the driver’s hands, and there’s no doubt that when it comes to car care Dillon is one of the best.

Dillon is a fast learner who happens to be very good at taking care of his equipment. He finishes most of his races and finally has the results desired to show for them. So to answer the question, yes, Dillon is finally a Sprint Cup driver. He’s gone through the trials that all Cup drivers should go through, and has earned his spot in the series. That being said, he’s also deserving of that first win now. It remains to be seen if that will happen in 2016.

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