Ty Dillon teases Indy revival while eyeing million-dollar In-Season challenge prize with an 'underdog' mindset 

Ty Dillon’s surprising run in NASCAR’s new In-Season Challenge has become one of the biggest stories of the 2025 Cup Series. From barely qualifying as the No. 32 seed to reaching the semifinals, Dillon has flipped the script. His performance has put him within striking distance of a $1 million payday.

Dillon has already knocked off top-seeded Denny Hamlin, survived crashes in Chicago, and bumped his way past Alex Bowman at Sonoma. His next test is at Dover, where he faces John Hunter Nemechek in the semifinal. Dillon has been approaching this challenge with an underdog mindset and said:

“ I really hope to get that opportunity to go into Indy, a place that I probably have the most supreme confidence in being that I’ve won there (in the Xfinity Series in 2014). Being the underdog in this story going for a million dollars no matter what’s gonna be pretty cool.”

If Ty Dillon defeats John Hunter Nemechek in Dover this weekend, he’ll move on to the final round of the Challenge, where he’ll face either Tyler Reddick or Ty Gibbs at the Brickyard 400 in Indianapolis. That race will determine who takes home the million-dollar prize.

Ty Dillon (#10 Kaulig Racing Sea Best Chevrolet) during driver introductions before the start of the NASCAR Cup Series Toyota/Save Mart 350 on July 13, 2025, at Sonoma Raceway in Sonoma - Source: Getty

The tournament format has brought something the regular season rarely does: a spotlight for drivers outside the usual top 10. Dillon and his No. 10 Kaulig Racing crew have seized it. Ty Dillon said the format has been a game-changer. Speaking to CBS Sports, he explained:

“This In-Season tournament has given everybody a look into what our weekends are like and putting the spotlight on us… this has done something really big for the sport.”

A decade ago, Dillon was seen as a future Cup star. But after bouncing through underfunded teams, he lost his footing and momentum. When Germain Racing shut down in 2020, he found himself scrambling for rides, racing part-time in 2021 and filling gaps for mid-tier teams in 2022 and 2023.

That changed in 2024. Kaulig Racing gave him a Truck Series seat and Cup starts, and eventually signed him full-time for 2025. It’s been the best equipment he’s had in years, and the results have started to show, including runs at Daytona and Phoenix even outside the tournament format.

“To fight through what I’ve gone through and start building that confidence back… I know I’m better physically and mentally than I was back in those days,” Ty Dillon said.

According to Dillon, the difference now is a team that believes in him and a format that’s given him space to shine. Still, the job isn’t done. Ty Dillon must beat John Hunter Nemechek in Dover to make the final. While he’s friendly with Nemechek off-track, their children are even friends, he made it clear that the race comes first.

“I don’t have anything [to talk] for John Hunter… but the thing that matters first is just beating him, and then we’ll have some fun after that,” he said.

If Dillon makes it to Indy, he’ll face one of two powerhouse Toyota operations, either 23XI’s Tyler Reddick or Joe Gibbs Racing’s Ty Gibbs. Win or lose, Ty Dillon has already flipped the narrative on his 2025 season.

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Mid-season momentum fuels fresh hope for Ty Dillon

Ty Dillon used his post-race lookbacks during the 2025 Würth 400 to highlight something in the In-Season Challenge; he’s rediscovered his confidence, and he’s having fun doing it. Dillon told CBS Sports:

“I’m having fun again. Being a part of a team that I feel like genuinely has confidence in me and my ability is building back that confidence I had when I was with a #1 team.”

“The blind confidence you have in those times is starting to come back a little bit… it's super strength that you feel when you're really running up front,” he added.

NASCAR Cup Series driver Joey Logano (22) crosses the finish line to win the Wurth 400 race at Texas Motor Speedway- Source: Imagn

His run through the In-Season Challenge - knocking out Hamlin, Keselowski, and Bowman - has been a public reminder of his capabilities. More importantly, it’s given Dillon and his team the belief that they belong. As the #10 Chevrolet driver put it:

“You start seeing yourself outrun the guys who win races… it's a snowball effect.”

Dillon now prepares for his showdown with Nemechek at Dover. The winner heads to Indianapolis for a chance at the $1 million prize. Whether or not he advances, Ty Dillon’s revival has already become one of the most unexpected and compelling stories of the 2025 NASCAR season.