Ty Dillon “murders a squirrel” during Michigan Cup race

Ty Dillon reported running over a squirrel during the FireKeepers Casino 400 at Michigan International Speedway. Dillon told the #10 Kaulig Racing team he might've just “murdered” the animal, which the team later confirmed.

Driving the #10 Chevrolet Camaro, the 33-year-old veered into his pit box when a squirrel apparently ran from the infield grass directly into his path. The unfortunate incident didn't interfere with the pit stop after all four tires were changed.

NASCAR Insider Jordan Bianchi caught Ty Dillon's radio message on the squirrel incident and shared it on X.

“‘I think I just murdered a squirrel getting into my pit box’, Ty Dillon says. Team confirms that is what happened,” Bianchi wrote.

After receiving the confirmation, the North Carolina native said:

“Bad timing, little buddy.”

Ty Dillon started the 200-lap Michigan race in 18th place ahead of his Kaulig Racing teammate, AJ Allmendinger. He concluded stage one in 23rd place before scoring two points for finishing ninth at the end of the second stage.

After the checkered flag was waved, Dillon finished 24th and completed all 200 laps. Denny Hamlin, meanwhile, won the race ahead of Chris Buescher and Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Ty Gibbs. Bubba Wallace and Kyle Larson rounded out the top five.

Ty Dillon drives the #10 Chevrolet Camaro for Kaulig Racing - Source: Imagn

This year marks Dillon's return to the NASCAR Cup Series after spending a year in the Craftsman Truck Series with Rackley W.A.R. in 2024. He was dropped from Spire Motorsports' Cup program in 2023 due to underwhelming performance.

Unfortunately for him, his return to the premier series has been disappointing so far. He hasn't scored a single top 10 yet, while Allmendinger, driver of the #16 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet, has amassed one top-five (Coca-Cola 600) and four top-10s.

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“You will not get me to quit”: Ty Dillon on ups and downs in NASCAR career

Ty Dillon may be struggling on the racetrack, but he is optimistic about his future. In an interview with his wife, Haley, Dillon said he would never quit after learning that his resilience opened up different opportunities for him.

The 33-year-old Kauling Racing driver said:

“Going through kind of the ups and downs and different teams and all the stuff is like, I have been treated every way. I think I could possibly be treated good or bad. Okay cool, you can beat me up. But you're never going to knock me out.”

He added:

“So I've just developed a mindset of the winners are the losers who never quit. So you will not get me to quit [...] There's never going to be a day where I wake up and I give up and I've learned because so many opportunities have come to me from never giving up.”

Dillon, the grandson of NASCAR team owner Richard Childress, will try to secure his first top-10 finish in the next race scheduled at Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez in Mexico City. The inaugural Viva Mexico 250 will be live on June 15 at 3:00 p.m. on Amazon Prime.