🚨Chase Elliott Makes Bold Claim That Austin Dillon’s Win Was Pure Luck, Citing Kyle Busch Crash, Only for Dillon’s Quick Retort to Leave Him Speechless…
The NASCAR world is buzzing this morning at 11:45 AM +07 on Tuesday, August 19, 2025, following a heated exchange that has reignited tensions between Chase Elliott and Austin Dillon. The Hendrick Motorsports star stirred the pot with a bold statement questioning Dillon’s recent victory at Richmond Raceway, asserting, “Austin’s win was just luck; if I hadn’t crashed with Kyle Busch, that winning position would have been mine.” The declaration, made during a post-race media session at Michigan International Speedway, has sent shockwaves through the sport, with “Elliott Dillon controversy” trending online. Just five minutes later, Dillon’s sharp comeback left Elliott momentarily stunned, escalating the drama as the regular season nears its end.
Elliott’s comments stem from the FireKeepers Casino 400 on August 17, 2025, where a Lap 127 collision with Kyle Busch sent his No. 9 Chevrolet into the Turn 4 wall, marking his first DNF of the season and a 34th-place finish. This setback cost him a shot at the lead, which Dillon had seized earlier in the season at Richmond with his contentious last-lap move. Elliott, still leading the points standings with 849, expressed frustration, saying, “That crash derailed me; Austin capitalized on chaos, not skill.” Fans on X quickly picked sides, with some echoing, “Elliott’s right, Dillon got lucky!” while others defended Dillon’s tenacity, “He earned it fair and square!”
Dillon, the Richard Childress Racing driver who clinched his sixth career win at Richmond, wasted no time responding. During a live interview on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, he fired back, “Luck? Chase, I raced harder than ever—check the laps led.” The five-minute gap between Elliott’s jab and Dillon’s retort—delivered with a steely confidence—left Elliott visibly taken aback, his usual composure faltering as cameras caught his stunned silence. Dillon’s reference to leading 107 laps at Richmond, including the final 49, underscored his point, shifting the narrative to his on-track dominance.
This clash builds on their fraught history, notably the Richmond incident where Dillon’s aggressive move secured a playoff spot, a decision NASCAR upheld after a cheating probe. Elliott’s DNF at Michigan, triggered by Busch’s contact, has clearly fueled his resentment, with the No. 9 team’s radio calls revealing his anger: “He’s an idiot,” he vented about Busch, a sentiment now extending to Dillon’s success. Dillon, meanwhile, remains focused, sitting 14th with 676 points, 173 behind Elliott, and eyeing a playoff run after a 68-race winless streak ended.
NASCAR officials have yet to comment, but the exchange has divided fans. Some see Elliott’s claim as sour grapes after his first DNF in 24 races, while others sympathize with his lost opportunity, given his season’s consistency—two wins and 14 top-10s. Dillon’s retort has won praise for its brevity and bite, with X posts like “Dillon shut him down!” gaining traction. The timing, with the Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona on August 24, 2025, looming, adds urgency, as Elliott aims to secure the regular-season title and Dillon fights to defend his spot.
This verbal sparring has injected fresh drama into the playoff chase, with the Michigan crash and Richmond win at its core. Will Elliott rebound from this setback and prove his point, or will Dillon’s response galvanize his campaign? As the season hurtles toward its climax, this bold statement and swift counter have left the NASCAR community on edge, eagerly awaiting the next twist in this high-stakes rivalry.
