"I immediately held your hand": Ty Dillon and Haley reveal the first spark that led to marriage

Ty Dillon opened up about the early days of his relationship with his now wife Haley during a heartfelt appearance on her Believe in the Good podcast. Approaching his 500th NASCAR start, the 33-year-old Kaulig Racing driver reflected on when Haley made the first move at a Christmas party nearly 13 years ago.

On a special episode of the podcast, the couple looked into Ty's professional journey and discussed fame, family, and self-worth. During the podcast, Haley asked Ty to recount the story of how they met at a mutual friend's Christmas party. She also posted a video of the same on Instagram, where she revealed:

"When you first came out to Washington, I would say I made the first move... You got in the car, I immediately held your hand. Wouldn't you say that was like the, 'Oh, it's on'... So, that was the first one. (53:14 onwards via Haley Dillon's YouTube channel)

While Haley frequently shares inspirational content on her platform, this episode brought fans closer to the couple's history. Ty shared that Haley initiated their first real conversation and also recalled the first time they met when he just beginning his racing career:

"The racing dream started at 13. Got in a Bandolero car. Little did I know, a few short years later I was going to meet the love of my life, at a Legend car track. Just outside where I ran my first practice... Now here we are. We've been married for 10 years. We've been together for... 13 and a half years. Three amazing babies." (3:04 onwards)

The couple met in 2010 and would go on to date for four years before getting married in 2014.

Ty Dillon, a former Richard Childress Racing driver, has spent over a decade competing across all three NASCAR national series. Grandson of RCR owner Richard Childress and younger brother of Austin Dillon, Ty has carved out a career filled with quiet consistency, even without headline-making wins. He currently drives full-time in the Cup Series in the No. 10 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet.

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Ty Dillon on his 500th NASCAR start: “The most wonderful thing it's given me is you and our kids”

NASCAR Cup Series driver Ty Dillon (center) with his wife Haley before the Daytona 500. Source: Imagn

Ty Dillon is set to make his 500th career start across NASCAR's top three series in 2025, marking a meaningful milestone for the journeyman driver. Yet to win in the Cup Series, Ty has shown resilience in a sport with fierce competition.

On the same episode, Dillon offered insights into his professional battles behind the wheel but dedicated his feats to his family. The Kaulig Racing driver added:

"I've raced over 250 cup starts now, which is just crazy when you look back at it and just something that I'm proud of even though it's just a number... Later on this year, we get to Nashville (which) will be my 500th NASCAR start, amongst the top three series. So, it's been awesome, but the most wonderful thing it's given me is you and our kids and the life that it's provided." (3:46 onwards)

While he has amassed 256 NASCAR Cup Series starts, the results haven't always reflected the work, with only seven top-ten finishes in that time. He spoke candidly about dealing with both external and internal expectations and admitted that racing results were never the real measure of his worth.

The conversation touched fans and followers alike, revealing a side of Ty Dillon rarely seen in post-race interviews or social media posts.