NASCAR changes Richmond results shortly after the race ends

Richard Childress Racing's Austin Dillon looked to be well on his way to his first NASCAR Cup Series win since August 2022 and thus a 2024 playoff berth on Sunday night at Richmond Raceway before JTG Daugherty Racing's Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and Stewart-Haas Racing's Ryan Preece made contact on lap 399 of 400.

Aside from the two planned stage cautions, the Cook Out 400 at the four-turn, 0.75-mile (1.207-kilometer) Richmond, Virginia oval had run caution-free up until that point, a point where Dillon needed only about an extra half mile before the race would be deemed official and the next flag would end it.

After overtime pit stops, Dillon retained the race lead, but the No. 3 Chevrolet fell behind the No. 22 Ford of Team Penske's Joey Logano on the restart.

Heading into turn three on the final lap, Dillon slammed into the back of Logano, sending the No. 22 Ford spinning. Joe Gibbs Racing's Denny Hamlin briefly took the lead coming to the checkered flag before Dillon hooked the No. 11 Toyota in the right rear, sending it into the wall as well.

Dillon won the race to secure his playoff spot, despite having entered the race all the way down in 32nd place in the point standings. The win was the fifth of his career.

NASCAR changes Richmond results shortly after race

As they came across the finish line, 23XI Racing teammates Tyler Reddick and Bubba Wallace were scored in second and third place, respectively, while Trackhouse Racing Team's Ross Chastain was scored in fourth ahead of Hamlin in fifth.

Upon further review, NASCAR altered the order and placed Hamlin in second ahead of Reddick in third, Wallace in fourth, and Chastain in fifth.

Though Hamlin crossed the line in fifth place, NASCAR viewed that he was running in second when the caution flag came out, and despite having been involved in the wreck, he was viewed to have maintained pace with the rest of the field as they came across the finish line.

Logano was only scored in 19th place. Though he was technically running better than 19th when the caution light came on, he was not promoted upon further review, as the No. 22 Ford was not pointed in the right direction and was therefore unable to maintain pace. In Hamlin's case, he kept his car moving in the right direction, even if he wasn't fully in control of it at that point.

Though the decision may have been deemed somewhat controversial, Hamlin was indeed running in second place the moment when the caution light came on, and at no point was he facing the wrong direction before crossing the finish line.