When a million dollars is at stake, the world breathlessly watches your actions. Currently, the NASCAR world is engrossed with two drivers’ preparations for the upcoming Brickyard 400 race. They are none other than Ty Gibbs and Ty Dillon, the finalists of the NASCAR In Season Challenge. Both drivers have had star-studded storylines so far, beating heavyweights in the contest. Now, however, only one of them will prevail.
How did Ty Gibbs and Ty Dillon reach the final showdown of the NASCAR Bracket Challenge?
First off, let us start with how it all began. Ty Dillon entered the In-Season Challenge as the 32nd or final seed. That is what made his rise more phenomenal – in the first round in Atlanta, he beat No. 1 seed Denny Hamlin due to a big wreck. Then, his next rival, Brad Keselowski, saw his chances end with technical issues in Chicago. This Cinderella streak extended through the following two races, where Dillon took out Alex Bowman and John Hunter Nemechek with some masterful moves. Presently, his luck needs to strike again only in Indianapolis.
For Ty Gibbs, it has been a hard grind against some fierce opponents. He got through Justin Haley a little easily in Atlanta, but faced a mammoth challenge from road course star AJ Allmendinger in Chicago. Toppling Zane Smith in Sonoma was relatively easier, but in Dover, Tyler Reddick was his rival. Gibbs beat the 2024 regular season champion skillfully, finishing in 4th place, which was 7 spots ahead of Reddick.
Ty Dillon vs Ty Gibbs: Delving deep into their NASCAR 2025 Season’s form and performance
Well, both Tys have a few similarities. Both Ty Dillon and Ty Gibbs lack a Cup Series win, and both started off the 2025 season on dismal notes. However, therein lies a huge disparity. Aside from his Cinderella run, Dillon has not been in a good place in 2025. The Kaulig Racing driver owns only one top ten finish, that of 8th in Atlanta, and is 30th in the championship standings. Meanwhile, Ty Gibbs has been quietly recovering from his drab streak. After Dover, Dillon has accumulated 6 top tens and 4 top fives and occupies the 16th rank in the standings.
Who has the edge in the NASCAR Bracket Challenge showdown: Ty Gibbs or Ty Dillon?
Well, this first deserves a look at both drivers’ runs so far. Ty Dillon has mostly relied on race upsets and jaw-dropping climactic twists to advance. Just think, his beating 58-time race winner Denny Hamlin and 2012 Cup Series champion Brad Keselowski. Dillon exercised skill only in Sonoma, where he used a bump-and-run to move Alex Bowman out of the way. He finished 8th, 20th, 17th, and 20th in the four races so far. Ty Gibbs, on the other hand, has relied more on skill for his competitors. Think about his runs with AJ Allmendinger, whose road racing skills he beat with his own, or Tyler Reddick in Dover. Additionally, his finishes have been stronger – 14th, 2nd, 7th, and 5th. On paper, the JGR driver seems to have the edge.
Can there be a tie between Ty Dillon and Ty Gibbs in the Final Face-off at Indianapolis?
Herein lies the tricky question, as both drivers have solid chances. Ty Dillon’s last NASCAR victory came in a 2014 Xfinity Series race. But guess what that racetrack was – Indianapolis Motor Speedway, or the track where he will battle with Ty Gibbs this week. So Dillon has won in Indy before, albeit in a different car. What is more, Dillon finished 23rd in the 2024 Brickyard 400 race, while his rival, Ty Gibbs, washed up in 19th. If that were to happen again, Dillon would seamlessly win the In-Season tournament!
But slow down, as Ty Gibbs’ chances are equally strong. The Joe Gibbs Racing driver is hardly focusing on the million-dollar prize. He is instead focused on winning, and that approach itself might get him through. His teammate, Denny Hamlin, said that Indianapolis is too technical for Ty Dillon’s liking: “This is a track where absolute car performance matters. I think he’s at a deficit there. Qualifying really is gonna be a big factor. He’s gonna be at a deficit there… this just isn’t a side-by-side racetrack. Once we get single-filed out, there’s just not gonna be a whole lot of passing here. It’s not that kind of track where you can make something happen on a restart. There’s nothing to make happen; the track is narrow. So I think it ends here.”
Could the Bracket Challenge define Ty Dillon’s comeback or Ty Gibbs’ breakthrough year?
At the end of the day, we cannot say for sure who will take home the big prize. Yet, the consequences of either result are worth taking a look at. For Ty Dillon, it will be a long-awaited comeback to fame. For a driver who has bounced around Cup rides in 2021-2024, this limelight will work wonders for his future. Kaulig Racing president, Chris Rice, is excited about this exposure – the million-dollar prize comes later.
For Ty Gibbs, it would be a grand resurgence indeed. Despite qualifying for the 2024 playoffs solely based on consistency, Gibbs crashed out of the Round of 16. This year, he is looking to break that winless streak, and with Chris Gabehart adding to the muscle of the #54 team, the In-Season Challenge triumph could fall into place along with a victory.
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