Austin Dillon etched his name into the NASCAR history books on Saturday night, delivering a milestone victory at Richmond Raceway. Driving the iconic No. 3 Chevrolet for Richard Childress Racing, Dillon held off a late surge from Alex Bowman to win by 2.471 seconds after 400 grueling laps.
The win was more than just another checkered flag for Dillon — it marked the first time since Dale Earnhardt’s legendary 1998 Daytona 500 triumph that the No. 3 car led 100 or more laps in a Cup Series race. Dillon, who started 11th, commanded the field for 100 laps in total, including the final stretch where he pulled away decisively.
“This is a dream night,” Dillon said in Victory Lane. “To put the 3 back in the history books with a run like this — it’s special. We’ve worked hard all year, and tonight everything came together.”
A Night of Drama and Strategy
The race featured 24 lead changes among 11 different drivers and was slowed by five cautions for 44 laps. Bubba Wallace dominated much of the early going, leading a race-high 123 laps and winning Stage 2 — his first career short-track stage win. Tyler Reddick claimed Stage 1 after a strong opening run in the No. 45 Toyota.
Pit strategy proved crucial in the closing laps. Kyle Larson, Brad Keselowski, and others cycled through the lead late, but Dillon’s No. 3 team executed flawlessly when it counted. After taking command with just over 50 laps remaining, Dillon held off challenges from Ryan Blaney and Bowman, who surged into second place in the final laps but couldn’t close the gap.
Blaney, who started deep in the field in 20th, showcased resilience by climbing into contention and leading 39 laps before settling for third. Larson, who clawed forward from 30th, faded late but was a major factor in the race’s middle stages.
Key Moments
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Stage 1: Tyler Reddick outdueled Wallace and Denny Hamlin to take the opening stage win.
-
Stage 2: Wallace rebounded to capture the stage, showing strength on restarts.
-
Lap 198: A multi-car crash involving Chase Briscoe, Kyle Busch, Brad Keselowski, Ross Chastain, and others thinned the field of contenders.
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Lap 242: Dillon seized the lead after Wallace and Michael McDowell made contact, setting the tone for his dominant stretch.
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Final 50 Laps: Dillon took control after pit strategy shook up the front-runners, holding steady under pressure from Blaney and Bowman.
A Return to Glory for the No. 3
For longtime fans, Dillon’s performance was a poignant reminder of Earnhardt’s legacy. Earnhardt last carried the No. 3 to a 100-lap lead in the 1998 Daytona 500, a race that delivered his most famous win. Nearly three decades later, Dillon restored that number to prominence under the lights at Richmond.
Bowman’s runner-up finish was his best result of the season, while Blaney’s third-place run strengthened his playoff position. Wallace, despite his dominant early pace, slipped to finish outside the top five after late pit strategy shuffled him back.
As the regular season winds down, Dillon’s breakthrough win could be the momentum boost RCR needs heading into the playoffs.
Richmond Raceway Cup Series Results
August 16, 2025
|
POSITION
|
START
|
LED
|
BEHIND
|
PTS
|
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1 |
A. Dillon #3
|
11
|
106
|
Winner
|
–
|
|
2 |
A. Bowman #48
|
9
|
0
|
2.569
|
–
|
|
3 |
R. Blaney #12
|
20
|
39
|
8.114
|
–
|
|
4 |
J. Logano #22
|
38
|
0
|
8.531
|
–
|
|
5 |
A. Cindric #2
|
13
|
2
|
9.443
|
–
|
|
6 |
K. Larson #5
|
30
|
9
|
10.138
|
–
|
|
7 |
D. Suárez #99
|
21
|
1
|
11.276
|
–
|
|
8 |
J. Berry #21
|
17
|
0
|
13.974
|
–
|
|
9 |
B. Keselowski #6
|
6
|
2
|
15.281
|
–
|
|
10 |
D. Hamlin #11
|
4
|
0
|
15.331
|
–
|
|
11 |
Z. Smith #38
|
29
|
0
|
15.693
|
–
|
|
12 |
W. Byron #24
|
14
|
0
|
21.574
|
–
|
|
13 |
C. Briscoe #19
|
19
|
0
|
23.814
|
–
|
|
14 |
S. Van Gisbergen #88
|
27
|
0
|
1 Lap
|
–
|
|
15 |
C. Hocevar #77
|
15
|
10
|
1 Lap
|
–
|
|
16 |
K. Busch #8
|
28
|
0
|
1 Lap
|
–
|
|
17 |
M. McDowell #71
|
10
|
6
|
1 Lap
|
–
|
|
18 |
T. Gibbs #54
|
23
|
0
|
1 Lap
|
–
|
|
19 |
R. Chastain #1
|
33
|
0
|
1 Lap
|
–
|
|
20 |
T. Dillon #10
|
16
|
0
|
1 Lap
|
–
|
|
21 |
A. Allmendinger #16
|
3
|
0
|
1 Lap
|
–
|
|
22 |
C. Bell #20
|
8
|
0
|
1 Lap
|
–
|
|
23 |
R. Stenhouse Jr #47
|
36
|
0
|
1 Lap
|
–
|
|
24 |
C. Custer #41
|
24
|
0
|
1 Lap
|
–
|
|
25 |
T. Gilliland #34
|
31
|
0
|
1 Lap
|
–
|
|
26 |
E. Jones #43
|
18
|
0
|
2 Laps
|
–
|
|
27 |
N. Gragson #4
|
22
|
0
|
2 Laps
|
–
|
|
28 |
B. Wallace #23
|
7
|
123
|
2 Laps
|
–
|
|
29 |
C. Buescher #17
|
12
|
0
|
2 Laps
|
–
|
|
30 |
C. Heim #67
|
32
|
0
|
2 Laps
|
–
|
|
31 |
R. Herbst #35
|
26
|
0
|
2 Laps
|
–
|
|
32 |
C. Ware #51
|
37
|
0
|
3 Laps
|
–
|
|
33 |
J. Love #33
|
35
|
0
|
4 Laps
|
–
|
|
34 |
T. Reddick #45
|
2
|
41
|
4 Laps
|
–
|
|
35 |
R. Preece #60
|
1
|
61
|
4 Laps
|
–
|
|
36 |
J. Nemechek #42
|
34
|
0
|
11 Laps
|
–
|
|
37 |
J. Haley #7
|
25
|
0
|
201 Laps
|
–
|
|
38 |
C. Elliott #9
|
5
|
0
|
202 Laps
|
–
|
