NASCAR Results Today: Austin Dillon earns stunning playoff spot with Richmond redemption

Austin Dillon took a stunning win at Richmond on Saturday night to banish the demons of 2024 and snatch a spot in the playoffs.

The No. 3 car had been strong all night long, and some unforced errors by other challengers left him fighting Ryan Blaney and Alex Bowman for the win throughout the final stage.

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It's just 12 months since Dillon controversially wrecked out Joey Logano and Denny Hamlin to lock into the playoffs...for all of a few days, before NASCAR stripped the playoff place (although not the victory) from him for crossing the line with his over-aggressive driving style.

He and his No. 3 team played the tire management game brilliantly to hold off Blaney and Bowman after the last round of stops, beating the No. 48 car into second by some 2.4 seconds.

Dillon entered the day just 28th in the regular season point standings, narrowing the margin of error even further for the winless teams looking to make the postseason on points.

Elsewhere, Kyle Busch was involved in a huge 12-car wreck at the race's halfway point to bring out a caution, knocking Chase Elliott out of the race, the No. 9 being hit by Busch just when it looked as though he had cleared the pile-up.

Bubba Wallace had looked like a favorite to take the win at the halfway point, but an error on pit road saw him lose a wheel just after leaving his box, ruining his race entirely.

With that said, let's take a look at the results from Richmond.

READ MORE: NASCAR playoff field officially confirmed after dramatic Richmond race

Who won the NASCAR Richmond race today?

Race results

1. Austin Dillon, No. 3, Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet
2. Alex Bowman, No. 48, Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
3. Ryan Blaney, No. 12, Team Penske Ford
4. Joey Logano, No. 22, Team Penske Ford
5. Austin Cindric, No. 2, Team Penske Ford
6. Kyle Larson, No. 5, Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
7. Daniel Suárez, No. 99, Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet
8. Josh Berry, No. 21, Wood Brothers Racing Ford
9. Brad Keselowski, No. 6, RFK Racing Ford
10. Denny Hamlin, No. 11, Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
11. Zane Smith, No. 38, Front Row Motorsports Ford
12. William Byron, No. 24, Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
13. Chase Briscoe, No. 19, Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
14. Shane van Gisbergen, No. 88, Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet
15. Carson Hocevar, No. 77, Spire Motorsports Chevrolet
16. Kyle Busch, No. 8, Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet
17. Michael McDowell, No. 71, Spire Motorsports Chevrolet
18. Ty Gibbs, No. 54, Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
19. Ross Chastain, No. 1, Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet
20. Ty Dillon, No. 10, Kaulig Racing Chevrolet
21. Christopher Bell, No. 20, Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
22. AJ Allmendinger, No. 16, Kaulig Racing Chevrolet
23. Ricky Stenhouse Jr., No. 47, JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet
24. Cole Custer, No. 41, Haas Factory Team Ford
25. Todd Gilliland, No. 34, Front Row Motorsports Ford
26. Erik Jones, No. 43, Legacy Motor Club Toyota
27. Noah Gragson, No. 4, Front Row Motorsports Ford
28. Bubba Wallace, No. 23, 23XI Racing Toyota
29. Corey Heim, No. 67, 23XI Racing Toyota
30. Chris Buescher, No. 17, RFK Racing Ford
31. Riley Herbst, No. 35, 23XI Racing Toyota
32. Cody Ware, No. 51, Rick Ware Racing Ford
33. Jesse Love, No. 33, Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet
34. Tyler Reddick, No. 45, 23XI Racing Toyota
35. Ryan Preece, No. 60, RFK Racing Ford
36. John Hunter Nemechek, No. 42, Legacy Motor Club Toyota
37. Justin Haley, No. 7, Spire Motorsports Chevrolet
38. Chase Elliott, No. 9, Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet

Stage 2 results

1. Bubba Wallace, No. 23, 23XI Racing Toyota
2. Daniel Suárez, No. 99, Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet
3. Ryan Blaney, No. 12, Team Penske Ford
4. Austin Dillon, No. 3, Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet
5. Alex Bowman, No. 48, Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
6. Ryan Preece, No. 60, RFK Racing Ford
7. Carson Hocevar, No. 77, Spire Motorsports Chevrolet
8. Austin Cindric, No. 2, Team Penske Ford
9. William Byron, No. 24, Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
10. Kyle Larson, No. 5, Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet

Stage 1 results

1. Tyler Reddick, No. 45, 23XI Racing Toyota
2. Denny Hamlin, No. 11, Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
3. Bubba Wallace, No. 23, 23XI Racing Toyota
4. Austin Dillon, No. 3, Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet
5. Austin Cindric, No. 2, Team Penske Ford
6. Christopher Bell, No. 20, Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
7. Ryan Blaney, No. 12, Team Penske Ford
8. Brad Keselowski, No. 6, RFK Racing Ford
9. Josh Berry, No. 21, Wood Brothers Racing Ford
10. Daniel Suárez, No. 99, Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet

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