Austin Dillon, the NASCAR driver, recently commented on the tough rules that guide playoff qualification. He said that “winning” is of utmost importance when a driver needs to win the championship in the Cup Series, as he compared his 2013 Xfinity Series championship win, which came despite him not winning a race.Dillon achieved a major victory at Richmond Raceway. He overcame health and mental issues to book his spot in the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs. Dillon took the lead on lap 58 and led 107 laps in total, and held off his nearest contenders to win by 2.471 seconds.This victory was his sixth career victory, and Dillon scored his second consecutive victory at Richmond since his controversial win there in his 2024 race, which cost him a playoff in the process. His prowess in handling the equipment and his well-timed pit stop four laps before his competitors were the driving factors in his fierce battle to the finish against Ryan Blaney.He spoke on the Stacking Pennies Podcast:"It's a tough one. winning is everything. So, and that's what NASCAR has pushed it to be. Now, consistency and all, I mean, I won a championship in the Xfinity Series. I didn't win a race. I didn't win a race... I had probably six second-place places. I had more wins than in my rookie year." View this post on Instagram Instagram PostDillon’s win also reshaped the playoff landscape, making him the 14th different winner of the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series season and intensifying the race for the remaining postseason spots.Austin Dillon cites Denny Hamlin’s career as a guide for his own amid future within RCRThis back-to-back Richmond wins also made Dillon the first driver to achieve consecutive victories in this race since Denny Hamlin, who won in 2009 and 2010. The win came without controversy this time, contrasting with the previous year’s Richmond race where Dillon’s aggressive moves led to wrecks and playoff disqualification. On the same podcast, he said:"I think, right now I think the team and I've been bragging about a lot the team that we've built is probably the best team that I've been a part of. I feel that way. So if we can't go out and compete, you know, the rest of this year, the next year, we got to think about, you know, we got to think about what that direction is for me.""I want to be a contender. Dang, that wind felt really good at those things change things. I mean, I remember looking at Denny's career a couple years back when he had a winless season or two and then he comes out and wins. I don't know however many he's won since then. So, it's just where I can best suit the company and help from RCR," Dillon added. (33:40-34-30)Despite ranking 25th in the points standings, Dillon’s win at Richmond underscores his determination to be a consistent contender, drawing inspiration from established champions like Denny Hamlin to dominate and lead Richard Childress Racing.