Richmond winner Austin Dillon reveals he has been racing with a broken rib in recent NASCAR races

Austin Dillon astonished race viewers and competitors with his victory at Richmond Raceway. Afterwards, he revealed that he has been racing with a broken rib. His accident occurred when he fell off a ladder at home, getting ready to go hunting and fell down, landing on his bow case, which knocked the wind out of him.

Dillon raced on despite the pain and difficulty at Iowa and Watkins Glen, which was later X-rayed again, showing a break in the seventh rib on his right-hand side. His comeback was highlighted by claiming his first 2025 victory at Richmond by leading 107 laps and qualifying for the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs for the first time since 2022.

The Richmond victory was regarded as redemption for Dillon, who also won there last year but lost his playoffs spot after wrecking Joey Logano and Denny Hamlin.

After the race, Dillon said during a press conference:

"I don't like to talk about it, but I fell off a ladder pulling my bow case off, getting ready for hunting season. Fell on top of the bow case. It knocked the breath out of me. Knew it was pretty bad. Went ahead and raced Iowa. I got it X-rayed -- seventh one on my right (side) is broken...I've been racing with it. It's been pretty painful. I raced Watkins Glen, Iowa, then here. Should be good. It's made pretty big improvements over the last two weeks."

The Richmond win earned Dillon the 14th spot in the 16-driver playoff field for the Cup Series. The victory also made him the second Richard Childress Racing driver, after Dale Earnhardt, to have secured consecutive Richmond Raceway wins.

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Richard Childress breathes ‘easy’ after Austin Dillon’s much-needed Richmond win

Richard Childress, the owner of Richard Childress Racing, expressed a deep sense of relief and satisfaction following Austin Dillon's much-needed win at Richmond Raceway in 2025.

Childress had been under considerable stress due to the team's prior controversies and lack of recent victories, including the fallout from Dillon's 2024 Richmond win, which was marred by a controversial last-lap incident that cost Dillon a playoff spot.

The clean, decisive victory at Richmond in 2025 allowed Childress to finally "breathe easy".

"We just work hard. I am so proud of that group, every one of them has put so much in. Austin was dead set on coming back and trying to win this race like he had it won last year. I just kept holding my breath. When he took that white, I took an easy breath," Richard Childress said during his post-race press conference.

Childress reflected on the emotional weight carried throughout the racing season, emphasizing the importance of this victory for the team's morale and future.