NASCAR: RCR hit with disappointing news after Dover

The penalty issued by NASCAR to Austin Dillon and the No. 3 Richard Childress Racing team will not be overturned after an appeal.

Following the NASCAR Cup Series race at Martinsville Speedway last month, Austin Dillon and the No. 3 Richard Childress Racing team were issued a hefty penalty.

The team was fined $75,000 and docked 60 points and five playoff points in the owner standings. Dillon himself was docked 60 points and five playoff points, and crew chief Keith Rodden was suspended for two races.

The penalty came as a result of the team having been found in violation of the assembled vehicle rules in the car’s underwing assembly and hardware.

An appeal was heard, but the NASCAR appeals panel upheld all penalties issued to Dillon and the No. 3 RCR team.

The panel issued a statement after the ruling.

"“As submitted the nuts are not a thread locking device — they are connected and part of the turn buckle. The nuts do not lock the assembly. Therefore, the assembly has been modified.”"

Dillon sits in 31st place in the point standings and would be 24th without the penalty. He sits 117 points below the playoff cut line instead of just 57. As for the No. 3 team, they also sit in 31st in the owner standings and would be 24th without the penalty. They sit 130 points below the playoff cut line instead of just 70.

However, Dillon is still fully capable of qualifying for the playoffs. Since the modern postseason format was introduced in 2014, only one driver has won his way into the playoffs from lower than 16th place in the point standings more than once. Dillon is that driver, and he has done it four times, including in last year’s regular season finale at Daytona International Speedway.

There are 15 races remaining on this year’s 26-race regular season schedule, starting with this Sunday afternoon’s AdventHealth 400 at Kansas Speedway. Start a free trial of FuboTV now and don’t miss the race at 3:00 p.m. ET on Fox Sports 1!