SPEEDWAY, Ind. — The Cinderella story of the NASCAR in-season tournament has found their way to the $1 million ball.

No matter how Ty Dillon and his No. 10 Kaulig Racing team may dance in the final round of the 32-team NASCAR in-season tournament, it’s a win for them to vie for $1 million at Indianapolis Motor Speedway as the No. 32 seed.

Photo: Sophia LaRiche/TRE

How exactly did they get to this point?

It started with two strokes of good luck — a big wreck at Atlanta Motor Speedway that Dillon survived to advance, and race-ending issues for challenger Brad Keselowski early on in Chicago.

Then, Sonoma saw Dillon stay in the fight all day until Alex Bowman fell to Dillon’s last-lap bump-and-run allowed him to advance beyond anyone’s belief.

“I walked into Dover and every security at every gate was cheering me on like, ‘Hey we’re cheering for you, we’re pulling for you’, and there were so many fans that had support,” Dillon said. “I’m honestly just full of gratitude for the reaction that’s been [there].”

In his hardest battle yet, at Dover Motor Speedway, Dillon didn’t disappoint his fans. After taking turns in the transfer spot with John Hunter Nemechek, Dillon received the free pass in double overtime and jumped a lap ahead of Nemechek. That secured Dillon his spot in the NASCAR in-season tournament finals.

As if it couldn’t get any better for Dillon, he comes to Indianapolis Motor Speedway — the site of his lone NASCAR Xfinity Series win.

Photo by Brian Lawdermilk/NASCAR via Getty Images

Photo by Sean Gardner/Getty Images

In 2014, Dillon outdid Kyle Busch on the final restart and held him off to lead the final 24 laps and win. Dillon defeated present and future Cup Series champions Busch, Matt Kenseth, Kevin Harvick and Joey Logano, who rounded out the top-five finishers.

“That has always given me confidence looking back on my career in the right situation and whenever I go to Indy,” Dillon said.

Dillon has been to Indy many times since that day but nothing is quite like now. All those times make the present-day feel even sweeter.

Photo: TRE

After graduating from the NASCAR Xfinity Series out of Richard Childress Racing in 2016, Dillon stepped away from his grandfather and raced for Germain Racing in the NASCAR Cup Series from 2017 to 2020. Then, after Germain shut down in 2021, Dillon raced for a variety of teams — Joe Gibbs Racing, Our Motorsports and Jordan Anderson Racing — notably earning a top-5 finish and three top-10 finishes in 11 Xfinity races.

Photo: Getty Images, via NASCAR Media

While Dillon found Cup rides with Petty-GMS in 2022 and Spire Motorsports in 2023, he was back in Trucks in 2024 — only to see that opportunity end before the season did.

“It was a demise of my mentality and who I was as a person because I lived on the attention of others and what that’d bring me. Until I matured as a person and went through a lot in life, I realized that doesn’t satisfy me and never will,” Dillon said. “I found peace in my own journey when no one was watching while I’m grinding and finding peace in my own hard work and being pleased with what I’m putting into my career and life.

“When the results start coming back and the attention starts coming back, you appreciate it more.”

DAYTONA BEACH, FLORIDA – FEBRUARY 12: Ty Dillon, driver of the #10 Grizzly Nicotine Pouches Chevrolet poses on track during qualifying for the NASCAR Cup Series Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway on February 12, 2025 in Daytona Beach, Florida. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images)

When Dillon speaks of his return to the NASCAR Cup Series in 2025 with Kaulig, he speaks with considerable gratitude. Through 21 of 36 races, Dillon is on pace to better his predecessor’s average finish by nearly a full position (22.3 vs. 23.0).

The in-season tournament has been a big boost for that.

While Dillon sits 30th in the NASCAR Cup Series points standings, he ranks 12th in terms of points earned and average finish in the four tournament races. In fact, his tournament average finish — 16.3 — outpaces his season average finish by six positions.

“One of our biggest goals was to make sure they [the media] talk about us and know we’re here, know we’re serious to change the narrative on my career and Kaulig Racing. I think we’ve excelled at that goal,” Dillon said. “The last four or five weeks, we’ve really finished out those races so we’re heading in the right direction.”

The direction the No. 10 team is headed in will take them straight to Indianapolis Motor Speedway this Sunday. They’ll take on Ty Gibbs and his No. 54 Joe Gibbs Racing team for the $1 million prize.


Photos (L to R): Marcus Leno/TRE, Dominic Aragon/TRE, Dominic Aragon/TRE

Although Gibbs’ team is a heavy favorite against Dillon’s team, Dillon’s team has slain a giant before with their defeat of Hendrick Motorsports’ Bowman at Sonoma.

“We are confident enough to believe we can put pressure on him [Gibbs] at the right time,” Dillon said.

Even if Dillon and his team don’t win the tournament, it has been a big win for them. Dillon said team manager Chris Rice believing in him and keeping him and his team confident have vaulted them here.

“We had a team lunch, and it seems kind of crazy, but the morale is so high and everyone is so pumped for each other. It’s not just for me. We’ve made it this far as a team. Chris Rice has done such a good job leading the troops and celebrating the small wins throughout the season,” Dillon said. “For our team, I feel like we’ve deserved some attention. We’ve really improved from where were last year and I’m glad Kaulig Racing and our sponsors have gotten their shine for taking a chance on me.

“It’s really cool the in-season tournament has given us the spotlight that a team like us typically doesn’t get at this point in the season.”

If Ty Dillon does win the NASCAR in-season tournament, he may have a few words for Gibbs. Going up against the likes of Denny Hamlin, Brad Keselowski, John Hunter Nemechek and Alex Bowman, he’s proclaimed he’s beat a certain fanbase’s drivers, poked fun at a driver’s basketball skills and shirt size and shown social media admins the glass slipper did, indeed, fit again.

“I’m a huge sports fanatic and I love the entertainment side of sports when guys are having good runs and are able to walk and talk and put it all together,” Dillon said. “I have the perspective of… We are entertainers. This is an entertainment sport. The sport grows as we grow viewership and the money grows from TV deals. I see that and I always try to thing of ways I can be an entertaining athlete and I felt like the in-season tournament opened a great opportunity.”

Dillon even attributes inspiration for the quick wit to Hamlin, commending him for leaning into the “Denny vs. the World” bit that turned into a flag he waved after his Martinsville win this season.

Photo: Ryan Bille/TRE

“He sees the sport from a different angle, a bigger angle, from his ownership role. Growing up with a grandfather as an owner, I’ve seen that angle. As a WWE and UFC fan, I love those mic moments that create character,” Dillon said.

If Dillon does beat Hamlin’s teammate, does he have any words in mind yet?

“I don’t really have anything. I don’t really premeditate it as much but if we win, it won’t be as much about Ty Gibbs as it will be that we won this thing,” Dillon said.

Ty Dillon, pictured at driver introductions for the July 20, 2025 NASCAR Cup Series race at Dover Motor Speedway. Photo: Getty Images/NASCAR Media

Dillon is relishing a moment in the sun after working hard in the dark.

“I feel like I’ve worked hard in the dark and not really had any recognition, and probably rightfully so. I haven’t done anything crazy in the sport since my Xfinity career and Truck career but there are times where you work really hard and do good things. So it’s fun to get recognition and have people excited for you,” Dillon said. “It’s a happiness and joy and I’m no different than the guy who got no recognition. It’s a full-circle realization and seeing friends who have worked with me through it and remembering the people who believed in me.

“Looking back on life, that means more than the results.”

A NASCAR in-season tournament win would do a lot for Ty Dillon and his team but he’s keeping his widths about him.

“In a few weeks, life is going to move and hopefully we continue to stay in the spotlight but this isn’t something that will sustain me for life and to sustain me for happiness. I’m gonna enjoy the ride. It’s always good to stop in the moment and be so happy,” Dillon said.

Dillon and his team are ready for the fight and prove a point as tough as the bricks they’ll cross at least 160 times this weekend.

“This in-season tournament has shown everyone not to count us out until the very last lap. We want to pull these teams out to the deep water and see who can survive,” Dillon said. “We’re gonna give it everything we got and give that 54 team the hardest run we can.

“No matter what happens, we feel like we’ve won and we’re going to run this thing on house money.”

Dillon finished 19th in the 2024 Brickyard 400 while Gibbs finished 23rd.

If a similar result repeats itself in the 2025 edition, Ty Dillon and his team will be cashing out their house money with a $1 million NASCAR in-season tournament check and a huge boost for the rest of the season.