NASCAR’s summer stretch can feel like a long haul, but the 2025 season has a new ace up its sleeve: the In-Season Challenge. Kicked off on June 28 at Atlanta Motor Speedway, this five-race, single-elimination tournament pits 32 drivers in head-to-head battles for a $1 million prize, shaking up the mid-season doldrums. Dreamed up by Cup Series star Denny Hamlin on his “Actions Detrimental” podcast, the format takes cues from the NBA’s In-Season Tournament and March Madness, aiming to inject buzz into the regular season.
“There’s not much buzz,” Hamlin said, noting the lack of mid-summer storylines, and NASCAR listened, crafting a bracket that’s kept fans glued to every finish. Flash back to 1985, when the Winston Million offered a $1 million bonus for winning three of four “Crown Jewel” races, turning drivers like Bill Elliott into legends. That bold experiment showed how extra stakes can electrify the sport, much like today’s In-Season Challenge.
With races at Atlanta, Chicago, Sonoma, Dover, and Indianapolis, the tournament rewards not just speed but strategy and survival. Fans get a printable bracket to track the action, plus insights into how underdogs can upset the odds. As the final race looms, one driver’s unexpected rise has sparked a wave of excitement, proving that in NASCAR, anything can happen when the stakes are high.
Enter Ty Dillon, the No. 32 seed in the In-Season Challenge, who’s defied expectations to reach the final against Ty Gibbs at Indianapolis. Starting as the lowest seed in the No. 10 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet, Dillon’s journey is a classic underdog tale. He stunned the field by ousting top-seeded Denny Hamlin in Round 1 at Atlanta, capitalizing on Hamlin’s early crash. “I beat your favorite driver,” Dillon quipped post-race, flipping Hamlin’s own taunt after finishing eighth while Hamlin limped to 31st.
@tydillon/X
Dillon then dispatched Brad Keselowski in Chicago, Alex Bowman at Sonoma, and John Hunter Nemechek at Dover, each time leveraging smart racing and others’ missteps. “It’s been a fun adjustment to our year,” Dillon told NASCAR on TNT, reflecting on his improbable run. His path showcases the tournament’s unpredictability, where a single race can upend the pecking order. Dillon, with 244 Cup starts but no wins, drives for Kaulig Racing, a smaller team allied with Richard Childress Racing, not the powerhouse Joe Gibbs Racing that backs Gibbs.
While Gibbs hasn’t yet claimed a 2025 Cup victory, he’s shown speed and consistency, including a second-place finish at Chicago. Dillon’s best 2025 finish is eighth at Atlanta, a stark contrast to Gibbs’ consistent top-10s. Yet, fans see Dillon as NASCAR’s Cinderella, embodying the grit of smaller teams. His success validates the In-Season Challenge’s goal of giving underdogs a stage, as he noted. “This run has been so fun, and I’m just trying to keep it going.” The Brickyard 400 on July 27, 2025, sets up a David vs. Goliath clash, with Dillon’s resilience fueling fan hope.
The buzz around this matchup has spilled onto social media, where a Reddit post posed the question. “What are Ty Dillon’s realistic odds of finishing ahead of Ty Gibbs at Indianapolis?” Fans chimed in with wit and optimism, one quipping, “Ty knows he can’t let Ty finish the race or Ty could lose to Ty.”
This playful nod to the shared first name captures the unique drama of the “Ty vs. Ty” showdown, set for July 27, 2025, at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The reaction reflects the tournament’s ability to turn a routine race into a must-watch event, with Dillon’s underdog status resonating deeply. What’s driving this fan support? Let’s break down their reactions.
Fans fueling Ty Dillon’s Brickyard hype
“Lest we forget Ty Dillon’s lone Xfinity win came at, you guessed it, Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Obviously Gibbs has better equipment, but it isn’t Dillon’s worst track by any measure.” This fan highlights Dillon’s 2014 Xfinity Series win at the Indiana 250, where he led 24 laps for Richard Childress Racing. With 110 Xfinity starts, Dillon’s record includes 1 win, 1 pole, and 40 top-10s, showing his comfort at IMS. Gibbs, with a best Cup finish of 12th at IMS in 2023, lacks the same track-specific success. While Joe Gibbs Racing’s equipment gives Gibbs an edge, Dillon’s 2014 triumph proves he can excel at this 2.5-mile oval, boosting fan confidence in his chances.
“I cant wait for Ty Dillon actually just beats him on pace lol. semi /s.” This half-joking reaction dreams of Dillon outrunning Gibbs outright. Dillon’s Kaulig Racing Chevy, while competitive, relies on alliances with Richard Childress Racing for performance. His tournament success and finishing eighth at Atlanta and 17th at Sonoma came from strategy, not raw pace. Still, the in-season format rewards consistency, and Dillon’s ability to stay clean could lead to a surprise if Gibbs falters. This fan’s hope, though optimistic, isn’t impossible given the tournament’s unpredictability.
“A lot better than his realistic odds of making the final round four weeks ago.” This fan nails Dillon’s improbable journey. As the No. 32 seed, Dillon was a long shot, yet he toppled Hamlin, Keselowski, Bowman, and Nemechek. His eighth-place finish at Atlanta and clutch moves at Dover, like passing Nemechek on a late restart, show his knack for seizing opportunities. The tournament’s single-elimination format, where one bad race can end a run, makes Dillon’s streak remarkable. Fans see this as proof that underdogs can thrive, fueling their support for his final push.
“Dillon finished ahead of Gibbs last year in a part-time deal so it isn’t a crazy thought for him to have a good shot this year.” This claim doesn’t fully hold up. In 2023, Dillon ran 36 Cup races for Spire Motorsports, with a best finish of 10th at Bristol, while Gibbs, full-time with Joe Gibbs Racing, scored 10 top tens. No 2024 race shows Dillon finishing ahead of Gibbs at IMS, as Dillon didn’t compete there. However, the fan’s point reflects Dillon’s ability to compete with limited resources, as seen in his 2023 Xfinity top-10s. His tournament run suggests he can outperform expectations, giving fans reason to believe in an upset.
“Chevy about to tell Rick Hendrick to give Dillon one of the #5 team’s cars slap a 10 on the side of it and let’s roll.” This tongue-in-cheek reaction nods to the equipment gap. Kaulig Racing’s No. 10 Chevy benefits from Chevrolet’s support via Richard Childress Racing, but it’s no match for Gibbs’ Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota. Hendrick Motorsports, a Chevy powerhouse, fields cars like the No. 5 for Kyle Larson. While the comment is a joke, it highlights how manufacturer alliances help smaller teams like Kaulig stay competitive, as Dillon’s tournament performance shows. Fans love the idea of Dillon getting a boost to level the playing field.
The post Massive Support for Ty Dillon as Fans Gives Him the Nod Against Unthinkable Odds appeared first on EssentiallySports.