Austin Dillon wins Daytona by bumping Cindric; Blaney in, Truex out of playoffs

Austin Dillon won the regular-season finale at Daytona International Speedway to snatch a NASCAR Cup Series playoff spot, taking the lead by shoving Austin Cindric aside with three laps remaining.

Ryan Blaney secured the final playoff spot on points, and Martin Truex Jr. was eliminated

In scoring his fourth career victory in NASCAR’s premier series, Dillon won a race that already had been postponed since Saturday night and then was stopped for more than three hours by rain Sunday afternoon.

On a restart with 16 laps remaining, Dillon was passed by Cindric, who had a drafting push from Truex.

But Dillon, who had drafting help from Richard Childress Racing teammate Tyler Reddick and fellow Chevy driver Noah Gragson in the closing laps, got back to the leader’s bumper with 10 laps remaining, and he nudged Cindric out of first and down the banking with a well-timed bump in Turn 1.

“We stayed ready,” Dillon told NBC Sports’ Marty Snider. “And I have to thank my teammate Tyler Reddick (and) everybody that makes this thing happen.

"Man, we're in the playoffs."@austindillon3 finished the job after the race was halted due to rain for more than three hours. #NASCARPlayoffs pic.twitter.com/uQQLtdAH2X

— NASCAR on NBC (@NASCARonNBC) August 28, 2022

“Man, we’re in the Playoffs. There was a lot going on there. I knew that if we got to the white (flag),if I waited too long, I was afraid somebody would wreck behind us, so I wanted to go ahead and get the lead. We were able to get it.

“I had a big run to (Cindric), and then I had (Reddick) back there. I knew we were in good shape there to the end. He did a good job checking up any kind of run. I felt like I had good teammates and Chevrolet behind me. If I could get the lead, (Cindric)