It’s been a rough week for Denny Hamlin, whose highly anticipated run in NASCAR’s in-season challenge abruptly ended in a massive wreck at EchoPark last week. The No. 1 seed’s early exit wasn’t just a personal blow; it fueled one of the most electrifying moments of the tournament, where underdog Ty Dillon dropped Hamlin’s signature trash talk line.
Fans have been polarized by the showdown online, splitting into Hamlin’s hardcore and Dillon’s new fan base. Social media erupted as Ty turned Hamlin’s own words against him, creating a rivalry that lit up the Internet. But Hamlin is ready to flip the script, calling time on the drama and steering focus back to what really matters.
Denny Hamlin puts an end to the Dillon drama
The 2025 NASCAR in-season tournament promised chaos, but few expected the veteran to fall early. Denny Hamlin, one of the top seeds and most vocal personalities in the Cup Series, was knocked out in round one by none other than Ty Dillon, the last man seeded. Dillon just gave us an insight into his personality; he seems to never be shy about taking swings when he gets his moment. He delivered a post-sound bite that instantly went viral: “For all you Denny fans out there, I just knocked your favorite driver out.”
That line hit hard, especially because it contained a famous phrase Hamlin himself at once said to silence his haters. Suddenly, NASCAR had a mini rivalry that had fans eating it up like hot dogs on a race day tailgate. But for the No. 11 driver, this wasn’t personal; it was purpose-built. And in his eyes, this entire narrative was exactly what NASCAR wanted.
In a pre-race interview at Chicago, Hamlin said, “ Yeah, I think that’s one of the things that the in-season tournament was meant to do, right? To create a rivalry you maybe wouldn’t think of. And while that rivalry may only last one week, you know, the social media content will live on forever for it.” So, even though the 22-car wreck at Atlanta wasn’t planned and out of his control, Denny Hamlin could control the post-race consequences. He added that the eight matchups in the next round are compelling, even if they come with unexpected consequences, like watching a No. 1 seed get booted by a longshot.
VIDEO: Denny Hamlin pre-race press conference from Chicago Street Race
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Still, the veteran is keeping an eye on what’s next. The Joe Gibbs Racing driver shared that he hopes future matchups will land on oval tracks rather than street courses like Chicago, where tire wear, bumps, and braking zones can distort the strength of top-tier teams. He goes on to add, “I can’t wait to see this end up on an oval, but unfortunately, by the time we get to an oval, there are going to be so few matchups left. Maybe that’ll allow them to focus more on those. But yeah, I think it’s super compelling.”
And while Denny Hamlin tipped his cap to Ty Dillon, he praised the fame Ty was gaining, saying, “It’s good for people like Ty Dillon to celebrate when they knock a number one seed out. That’s good for their team, good for him, and certainly well-deserving. So regardless of the type or the circumstances, it’s still something that that team and that driver—who came in as the last seed—can hang their hat on, at least for a week.”
He made it clear the fire wasn’t going to burn much longer. The storyline may have had legs, but he wasn’t giving it more oxygen.
Amidst Hamlin’s bold plan of a street oval, it is safe to say that Hamlin and Dillon are pally again, and they explain that they did it for NASCAR’s entertainment.
Ty Dillon definitely pulled off a shocker by knocking out Denny Hamlin in round one. But that line wasn’t just off the cuff. Dillon admitted he’d been ready. He goes on to say, ” It was planned when I knew he was eliminated. When I knew we had him, I told (pit reporter) Mamba (Smith) for the interview, I said, ‘Hey, give me a second after this interview; I got something to say.’ So, somewhat spontaneous, I guess you could call it that, but it was there. It was always there, and I just wanted to lean into it a little bit.” But the post-highlight reel isn’t over.
Ty Dillon looks forward to Round 2 of the In-season Challenge
The Kaulig Racing driver is preparing to face 17th-seeded Brad Keselowski in round 2 at the Chicago Street course. Keselowski, a former Cup champion and consummate road racer, is no pushover. He laid down a fast lap and qualified, clocking a 90.846-second time to earn 15th place on the starting grid for Sunday’s Grant Park 165.
He says, “Honestly, I feel good. We’re going to do our best starting today and all through the race tomorrow to put pressure on him. This is a place that, if you feel like you can pressure people, they can make mistakes.”
Dillon has reason to feel confident. On Saturday, he recorded a solid qualifying effort of 1:33.313 placing him 36th on the grid. Not a head-turning position, but on a street course where clean racing and track familiarity give him room to pressure opponents and make bold moves early.
He also pointed to his Xfinity results in Mexico City as proof, saying, “Obviously, you’re seeing in practice in Xfinity cars, a little bit more (aggression) can get you in a lot of trouble. And I enjoy road-course racing. We ran really good in Mexico City, another one of the races that we ran up front. A lot of people credit it to being good in the rain, but we also ran really well when it turned dry, too.”
With Hamlin out and Keselowski up next, Dillon has momentum. On the track, he may need to make up ground from 36th, but his post-Hamlin confidence and second-round matchup offer the perfect storm for another headline-making upset.
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