Ty Dillon’s rise in the NASCAR In-Season Challenge has been nothing short of electric. After shocking fans and experts by taking down Denny Hamlin in round 1 and then outlasting Brad Keselowski in Round 2, Dillon has momentum on his side. However, he feels that his round 3 matchup against Rick Hendrick’s driver might just be the toughest of them all.
With growing swagger, the underdog sets his sights next on Alex Bowman, Rick Hendrick’s steadiest performer. Bowman’s consistency has been his hallmark for the past two seasons. But coming off these two knockout performances, Dillon believes his heat is real, and he is ready to carry that form forward.
Dillon opens up about facing Rick Hendrick’s only driver left in the bracket
Ty Dillon’s 2025 campaign reflects a small amount of stability and steady improvement. With only one top 10, zero DNFs, and consistent finishes around 22nd, his Kaulig Racing team is building momentum, especially in clutch moments like the in-season challenge, where he’s upset higher-seeded drivers. His average start, 23.79, matches his finish, 22.68, suggesting a clean, trouble-free race. And Ty Dillon has always been like this.
Remember the 2022 Coca-Cola 600? Ty Dillon was the only driver not involved in an incident in a race that saw numerous wrecks! So it makes sense why he’s survived his way to the In-Season Challenge; however, Dillon feels his underdog narrative might be a bit overstated. Reflecting on the season and speaking to NASCAR’s Claire B. Lang, Dillon is riding on a high.
Dillon said, “I think you look at this point of the year in past years, and the focus is so forward on the top 16 guys and points, and maybe the top guys and points where they’re going to end up as the chase starts. We came in as the 32nd seed, which I think was a little bit undervalued. We had probably our three worst races in a row in the seeding portion of the season, which is fine because it’s given us a lot of pep going into it and taking down Denny [Hamlin] and Brad [Keselowski] the last two, and for us it’s been good momentum. “
His upcoming Round 3 run in the bracket format signals a turning point. His track performance is now backed by growing confidence and team cohesion. Seeded at 32nd, he topped the top seed, Denny Hamlin, in round one, a result that felt like a David versus Goliath moment and gave him instant street credit. Surviving the Atlanta wreck triggered by Denny, Ty was on top of the world when he learned that he had outlasted him. “I beat your favorite driver,” Dillon quipped after eliminating Hamlin, the man who coined that phrase. Then he stunned Brad Keselowski at Chicago, finishing 20th to Brad’s 37th after a Lap 4 crash ended Keselowski’s momentum. With two high-profile scalps, Dillon isn’t just surviving; he is thriving.
However, Alex Bowman is no slouch of a matchup in Round 3. The #48 has been a pillar of reliability through the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series season. After 19 races, he is currently 14th in the standings with 480 points. Despite being winless since Chicago in 2024, Bowman has wrapped up 10 top 10 finishes and four top five finishes in 2025, with an average starting position of 16.9 and an average finish of 17.4. He has led 157 laps in total and has only suffered two DNFs, underscoring his ability to stay in contention every single weekend.
Even Ty Dillon acknowledges Bowman’s road course prowess. He says, “So I think Sonoma is a place obviously, Bowman is really strong. He runs really good on road courses, and I’d say of all the opponents that I’ve been up against, he’s probably one of the most consistent guys in the field and even in the whole sport. So we know he’s going to be a tough challenge. Our only thing we can do is go in there and try to put pressure on him ourselves.”
The “In Season Tournament” brackets were busted at Atlanta & Chicago. @tydillon survived and goes up against @Alex_Bowman this weekend @RaceSonoma ….I asked him about the matchup this week….All of a sudden there are
eight for the cash! Hmmm pic.twitter.com/AilERApUeY
— Claire B Lang (@ClaireBLang) July 10, 2025
Bowman’s performance has been especially solid on road and street courses, with average finishes of around 14.8 and 15.3, respectively, fueled by strong showings on diverse tracks like Mexico City, Atlanta, and Homestead. His strength lies in this steadiness across a variety of track types. Rick Hendrick’s driver secured a pole at Homestead in March, led 43 laps, and finished second to Homestead King Kyle Larson in one of his best runs of the year.
Then, in the opening round of the in-season challenge at Atlanta, he placed third, further cementing his reputation as a top performer when it matters. He followed that up with a fourth-place finish at a higher-altitude Mexico City road course and again produced consistently at the Chicago Street course, despite his clash with Bubba Wallace, finishing 8th. He is calm under pressure, elite at restart execution, and road course poise make him one of Rick Hendrick’s most dependable weapons.
However, while Ty Dillon’s results are gaining praise, his actions off the track are not well-received by some veterans. 2014 NASCAR Cup Series Champion Kevin Harvick has a different view on Ty Dillon’s growing confidence. Speaking on Happy Hour, the Hall of Famer didn’t mince words. He said, “I just don’t know how you talk that much trash when you run that bad, though. I would just be more humble about it. I mean, if you were up there running first or second, third, fifth, something, and you’re knocking people out of the bracket, but you’re knocking the guys out that are crashing. Let’s not be cocky about it.”
Well, Harvick’s comments stemmed from Dillon’s dig at Brad K after eliminating the latter last week.
Ty Dillon throws a light shade at Brad Keselowski
Ty Dillon’s surprising charge through NASCAR’s in-season challenge continued with another upset, this time knocking out former Cup Series champion Brad Keselowski. The unexpected result left fans and analysts alike rethinking how deep Dillon’s bracket run with Kaulig Racing could go.
Matched against Keselowski in Round 2, Dillon entered the showdown as a major underdog. Brad brought 36 career couple wins on a 2012 championship to the table, while Ty Dillon, still seeking his first Cup victory, was seen as a long shot. But now, on the demanding Chicago Street course, the script flipped. Keselowski was caught up in a crash triggered by Carson Hocevar and ended up 37th, while Dillon brought his No. 10 Chevrolet home in 20th, just enough to advance.
The result was a center rip through the garage, and another dramatic chapter was added to Ty’s underdog story. With a huge grin post-race, Dillon praised his team’s relentless effort, saying, “This No. 10 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet team is just a tough team. We never quit. We don’t even know how to. I’m just so proud of Kaulig Racing and our No. 10 team.” Channeling some Chicago flavor, Ty couldn’t resist having a little fun with his win over Brad, referencing the city’s rich basketball culture. He posted on X, “I knew in a basketball city (Chicago), going up against Brad in a game of knockout, I was going to have a good chance.”
The post contained a video of Keselowski from 2010, miserably trying to shoot hoops during a skills challenge, airballing free throws, and missing open layups. Well, it was a laughter riot, but some, like Harvick, felt that maybe Dillon was getting too big for his boots. Regardless of what people say, Dillon has proved them wrong in the first two rounds, and now he has a chance to do it again at Sonoma against Rick Hendrick’s only remaining driver in the bracket.
With $1 million on the line and the competition intensifying, the next chapter of Ty’s run is set to unfold on one of NASCAR’s most technical road courses. And if the past two rounds are anything to go by, betting against Ty Dillon might just be the wrong call. Do you think Ty Dillon will defy the odds once again? Let us know in the comments!
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