Austin Dillon's High Hopes Trashed at Toyota All-Star Showdown

Austin Dillon, 18-year-old grandson of Richard Childress, has had an amazing 2008 season in the Camping World East Series. He finished second in points in the series behind Champion Matt Kobyluck.

Dillon had an average finish for the season of eighth and completed every lap, the only driver in the series to do so. He was also awarded the coveted Sunoco Rookie of the Year title.

So, with high hopes in the famed Childress No. 3 car, Dillon headed off to Irwindale, California to compete in the Toyota All-Star Showdown, the “Daytona 500” of short track racing. He and his Shell-Pennzoil team, led by Lance Deiters, were anxious to get the car out on the track and put it through its paces.

But that was not meant to be. Due to rain most of the week in California, the event was forced to take place all on one day, with only a brief practice session the day before and qualifying immediately before the race on Saturday.

In spite of the lack of practice, Dillon was able to qualify the car in the 19th starting position, with a speed of 97.046 miles per hour. Yet even with his qualifying lap, this young driver really had no idea what his car would do in race trim.

After the first 100 lap segment, Austin had climbed as high as the tenth position, but fell back to the 21st spot just before the mandatory first break. After adjusting on the car, the team sent Dillon back out on the track.

And here is where young Austin's high hopes quickly turned to despair. On lap 142, he was caught up in a huge pile up instigated by Ron Hornaday running into then race leader Brian Ickler.

Not only was Dillon caught up in the accident, but he was also rammed twice more before limping back to pit road. The crew worked feverishly to get him back out on the track, just in time for the restart of the race.

But trouble struck again. Ten laps later, pole sitter Chris Johnson was involved in another wreck and collected Dillon up in it.

That was the final blow to Dillon and his team. His car was completely destroyed and they decided to park it for the rest of the night.

"The guys did a great job getting the No. 3 Shell-Pennzoil Chevrolet put back together, and I had a really good car even after it was wrecked the first time. On that last one, I couldn’t get out of the way and I just got pulled right into that mess," said Dillon.

He went on, "The car was pretty tore up and we were shot. We really wanted to win this one, and I really love the racetrack. It's definitely a driver's racetrack. I wish the East Series ran out here a little more often."

Although Dillon did not have the best of nights at Irwindale this year, he will most surely get another chance to return as he races again full-time in the East Series in 2009. He is also scheduled to run seven Nationwide races in the upcoming year. 

In spite of the bump in the road in California, there is no doubt that this young racer will be ready to go when the East series kicks off this spring.

As Dillon says, "This year it’s going to be tough to beat last year's performance, but with the guys I’m surrounded with and the team I have, I think we have a shot at the East series championship.”

No doubt, many will be watching this young, up and coming driver, rooting for him to do just that.

Source: Penny Aicardi