Richard Childress Racing‘s playoff exit in the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series came after a turbulent night at Bristol Motor Speedway, where driver Austin Dillon finished 28th and missed advancing by 14 points. Dillon, the grandson of Richard Childress, attributed the early end to severe tire issues and expressed disappointment after a season filled with ups and downs.
High Hopes Dashed by Tire Troubles at Bristol
The cutoff race for the Round of 16 took place under the lights at Bristol Motor Speedway’s Bass Pro Shops Night Race, a venue known for its demanding short-track challenges. With so much on the line, drivers including Shane van Gisbergen and Alex Bowman entered the race battling to secure their spot in the next playoff round. Goodyear had introduced a softer right-side tire compound to increase on-track action, but the cooler nighttime temperatures led to unexpected tire wear and corded tires for many contenders.
Austin Dillon, bringing momentum from a recent Richmond win and his experience from 21 previous Bristol Cup races, started 23rd but quickly realized that something was amiss with his car’s performance. He ultimately finished 28th—falling short of his goal to advance and joining van Gisbergen, Bowman, and Josh Berry among those eliminated after the punishing race.
Dillon Reacts: ‘Unfortunate’ End for No. 3 Team
After the race, Austin Dillon spoke to SiriusXM NASCAR Radio and summed up his playoff loss in one word: “unfortunate.” Severe tire degradation struck his No. 3 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet early, costing valuable positions on the track. Dillon detailed the unexpected trouble:
“Yeah, you know, we were the first one to really experience tire issues. I thought I had a puncture at the beginning of the race. I didn’t know that we were actually cording tires 20 laps into the run,”
Austin Dillon, Driver
Such issues had not appeared during practice, surprising both teams and officials. The new tire compound brought by Goodyear to spice up competition had the opposite effect under the night sky, and many drivers felt survival mattered more than speed. Dillon emphasized the frustrating experience:
“We were the first one to really experience tire issues […] it’s just so unfortunate.”
Austin Dillon, Driver
He also commented on the factors behind the car’s struggles, indirectly referencing both the tire selection and the effect of NASCAR’s choices:
“Yesterday, you saw none of that. It’s just so unfortunate. I know NASCAR didn’t want the race to be like that. We didn’t want it, obviously.”
Austin Dillon, Driver
For Dillon, just 21 to 25 laps of aggressive driving proved possible on each set of tires before another setback, making it impossible to race for positions as he wanted. Despite having locked in his playoff place with a Richmond victory in August, the lows of the season remained apparent. Dillon’s averages—an 18.97 starting position and a 20.34 average finish—reflected an up-and-down year through 29 races. Nevertheless, he pointed toward areas of progress:
“We’ve qualified better in the playoffs. Yesterday, we should have qualified in the top five. I just missed it barely.”
Austin Dillon, Driver
With three DNFs in 2025, Dillon suggested his focus would shift to enjoying the remaining races on the schedule, making the most of lessons learned, and working with crew chief Richard Boswell to keep building momentum for the future.
The Impact of the Cutoff Night: More Drivers Face Uncertain Paths
Dillon’s early elimination captured only part of the larger story at Bristol, where several high-profile drivers also saw their playoff hopes cut short. Alex Bowman finished eighth in the race and drove for Hendrick Motorsports but faces questions about his future after an inconsistent season. Commenting on Bowman’s circumstances, reporter Toby Christie observed:
“Hardly any driver in the NASCAR Cup Series garage has carried more pressure, justified or not, about the status of their seat than Bowman, who has driven for Hendrick Motorsports full-time in the series since the 2018 season.”
Toby Christie, Reporter
Bowman and his crew chief Blake Harris have seen streaks of both success and struggle, as highlighted by Christie:
“Bowman has been super streaky this season, and when he and crew chief Blake Harris have been on, they’ve been very on.”
Toby Christie, Reporter
Although Bowman achieved 15 top-10 finishes, continued progress and solution finding with his team will be crucial for a more secure run in 2026.
In Dillon’s case, expectations for a playoff run weren’t high at the start of the year, an idea summarized in race reporting:
“It’s hard to call a first-round exit from the Playoffs a disappointment for Austin Dillon and the No. 3 Richard Childress Racing team, as they weren’t realistically expected by many in the preseason to work their way into the Playoffs this year.”
Race Report
Nevertheless, the team’s single win and five top-10s under Richard Boswell offered hope. As the season closes, boosting competitiveness on intermediate tracks and roads is expected to be key if Dillon hopes to become more than a fringe playoff participant next year.
Shane van Gisbergen, fresh off four regular-season road course victories, entered the playoffs with strong point totals but could not overcome difficulties on ovals—his 27.67 average finish in the Round of 16 highlighting the learning curve. The report explained:
“Due to four regular-season road course wins, Shane van Gisbergen entered the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs with a bountiful harvest of Playoff Points, which many felt could potentially be enough for the driver to overcome his oval racing shortcomings.”
Race Report
Despite this year’s setbacks, van Gisbergen’s growth and adaptation in his rookie full-time Cup season suggest further potential as he amasses experience.
Rounding out the list of drivers marked by disappointment but promise was Josh Berry, who, in his first season with Wood Brothers Racing, showed speed but was hampered by crashes and an untimely tire fire at Bristol. Still, optimism flickers within the organization:
“That being said, there should be some real optimism at Wood Brothers Racing.”
Race Report
Berry and his team are focused on building off their Las Vegas win and gaining pace compared to previous years, hoping for a breakthrough in future campaigns.
Looking Ahead: Lessons and Motivation for 2026
For Richard Childress Racing and Austin Dillon, the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series playoffs ended with both disappointment and a sense of progress. Dillon’s sharp responses made clear that unexpected technical challenges like tire issues played a central role in ending their bid earlier than hoped. At the same time, the experience spotlights the continued growth and resilience needed to succeed in the sport’s top tier.
As attention shifts toward the upcoming season, Dillon and the Richard Childress Racing team aim to strengthen their approach, addressing weaknesses on intermediates and road courses, and maximizing strengths at short tracks. The collective experience for drivers like Dillon, Bowman, van Gisbergen, and Berry underscores the unpredictable, high-pressure environment of NASCAR’s playoffs and the constant adjustments required to compete at the highest level.
The Richard Childress Racing playoff exit serves as both a setback and a rallying point. For Austin Dillon and his team, 2025’s hard lessons provide motivation to rebuild and pursue deeper playoff runs in 2026.
3️⃣ @austindillon3 thinks "there's been some positives" at the next few tracks, but his #NASCARPlayoffs journey comes to an end after the Round of 16 for @RCRracing.
🗣️ "We were the first one to really experience tire issues […] it's just so unfortunate." pic.twitter.com/1sNZ96Y0uQ
— SiriusXM NASCAR Radio (Ch. 90) (@SiriusXMNASCAR) September 17, 2025
