“$1 million means the world to us”: Ty Dillon sends clear message after punting Hendrick Motorsports driver to advance in NASCAR’s challenge

Ty Dillon left no ambiguity after the final-lap move that sent him into the semifinal round of NASCAR’s In-Season Challenge. In a post-race interview shared by PRN Live on X, Dillon joked with Heather DeBeaux about punting Hendrick Motorsports’ Alex Bowman.

Ty Dillon made a controversial move during the final lap at Sonoma Raceway. Racing against Alex Bowman in the knockout stage of NASCAR’s In-Season Challenge, Dillon was trailing closely in the closing laps. After getting passed, he stayed locked behind Bowman, and in the final hairpin corner, he tapped Bowman’s No. 48 car—causing it to slide up the track.

The bump-and-run maneuver is what allowed Dillon to sneak ahead and cross the line first, confirming his spot in the semifinal. In the tweet, he joked about the move saying,

"If it wasn't a million dollars I'd never have punted him, but $1 million means the world to us."

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Ty Dillon advances again!

"I do have to give a shout-out to Hendrick's PR department and let them know the glass slipper fit one last time," he jokes with @HeatherDeBeaux. "If it wasn't a million dollars I'd never have punted him, but $1 million means the world to us."

Post-race, both drivers were seen chatting and even shaking hands. Dillon addressed it afterward, saying,

“It was a rough couple of laps there... if it weren’t for the million dollars, I probably wouldn’t have done that, but I had to.” (motorsports.com)

The In-Season Challenge was introduced by NASCAR and TNT as a $1 million bracket-style tournament. Few gave Ty Dillon a chance. Driving the No. 10 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet, Dillon had already advanced past heavyweights like Denny Hamlin and Brad Keselowski, both eliminated due to race-ending crashes.

He finished 17th overall to Bowman’s 19th and now joins three other semifinalists: John Hunter Nemechek, Tyler Reddick, and Ty Gibbs. Dillon is set to face Nemechek at Dover.

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It’s given us a chance to show personality”—Ty Dillon sees NASCAR’s In-Season Challenge as a platform for underdogs

Before the race, Ty Dillon opened up about the significance of NASCAR’s 2025 In-Season Challenge in a recent conversation with motorsports journalist Claire B Lang.

The elimination-format tournament, introduced to energize NASCAR’s summer stretch, has unexpectedly become a stage for lesser-known drivers to gain media attention. For Dillon, it’s been exactly that.

Speaking to Lang Dillon described how the Challenge has allowed drivers like him, often overlooked mid-season, to have their stories heard. He said the unique format gives underdogs visibility and brings fresh energy to the garage.

“There’s some underdog stories here that are getting a lot of attention,” he said. “It’s given us a chance at this point in the season to show personality… even though we’re grinding hard and the stories are just as fascinating, we don’t get talked about as much.” [2:56]

The format, based on a single-elimination bracket, was inspired by the NBA’s tournament model. Seeding was determined by early-season performances at Michigan, Mexico City, and Pocono. Dillon, whose finishes were 24th, 33rd, and 33rd, barely scraped into the 32-car lineup.

He made it through Round 1 at EchoPark Speedway by avoiding a 22-car wreck that knocked out top-seeded Denny Hamlin. In Chicago, he edged out Brad Keselowski after Keselowski got caught in an early incident.