Ty Dillon Bio
Tyler Reed Dillon (born February 27, 1992) is an American professional stock car racing driver. He competes full-time in the NASCAR Cup Series, driving the No. 10 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 for Kaulig Racing. Ty Dillon is the 2011 ARCA Racing Series champion and was the series’ youngest champion at nineteen years, seven months, and nineteen days until that record was later broken. Over the course of his career, Dillon has built a reputation as a steady and versatile driver across NASCAR’s top three national series.
Early Life and Background
Ty Dillon was born on February 27, 1992, in Welcome, North Carolina. He grew up in the Piedmont Triad region alongside his parents, Mike Dillon and Tina Dillon, and his older brother Austin Dillon, who also races in the NASCAR Cup Series. Ty Dillon’s grandfather is Richard Childress, the former professional driver and owner of Richard Childress Racing (RCR). His father, Mike Dillon, is a retired NASCAR driver who also serves as the general manager of RCR, giving Ty Dillon a deep connection to the sport from a young age.
Surrounded by racing royalty, Ty Dillon began his competitive career in go-karts before moving up to Bandoleros and other entry-level stock car classes. That early exposure to the family business laid the foundation for a smooth transition into NASCAR’s development ladder. By his teenage years, Ty Dillon was already competing in regional touring series, learning the race craft that would later define his professional career.
Path to NASCAR
Ty Dillon advanced into the K&N Pro Series East in 2009, where he competed for the series championship the following year despite running only eight of the ten scheduled races. He earned his first victory in the series in August 2010 at Gresham Motorsports Park, a result that announced his arrival as a young talent worth watching. Those performances drew the attention of RCR, which soon offered him a chance to move into the ARCA Racing Series.
In 2010, Ty Dillon made three ARCA starts and won twice, at Kansas Speedway and Rockingham Speedway. The next year, he ran his first full ARCA season in 2011 and won seven times on his way to the series championship, defeating Chris Buescher by a 340-point margin. That championship opened the door to the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, where Ty Dillon made his debut later that same season at Kentucky Speedway.
Ty Dillon Career
Early Career (2011-2012)
Ty Dillon’s first full NASCAR season came in 2012, when he ran the complete Camping World Truck Series schedule for Richard Childress Racing. He recorded top-ten finishes in each of his first five Truck Series starts, including a third-place result in only his second start at Texas Motor Speedway. On August 31, 2012, Ty Dillon scored his first career Truck Series victory at Atlanta Motor Speedway, capping a strong rookie campaign that earned him the 2012 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Rookie of the Year award.
That same year, Ty Dillon made his Nationwide Series debut in the 5-hour Energy 200 at Dover International Speedway in June 2012. He later finished third in the first Nationwide Series race held at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, further demonstrating his adaptability across series. By the end of 2012, Ty Dillon had established himself as one of the most promising young drivers in the NASCAR pipeline.
NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Breakthrough (2012-2013)
Ty Dillon returned to the Camping World Truck Series in 2013 and immediately picked up where he left off. He won at Kentucky Speedway on June 27, 2013, and later added a victory at Texas Motor Speedway, where he won the 100th race for a No. 3 car or truck in NASCAR history. Ty Dillon finished the 2013 season second in the Truck Series standings behind Matt Crafton, and he was named the series’ Most Popular Driver at the year-end awards banquet.
One of the most memorable moments of Ty Dillon’s 2013 Truck Series season came at Mosport, where he and seventeen-year-old Chase Elliott made contact on the final lap while battling for the lead. Elliott won the race, and the incident became one of the most talked-about finishes of the year. Ty Dillon went on to record three career Truck Series wins, 38 top-ten finishes, and five poles across his time in the series.
NASCAR Xfinity Series Breakthrough (2014-2016)
Ty Dillon moved full-time to the Nationwide Series in 2014, taking over the No. 3 Chevrolet for Richard Childress Racing. His breakthrough came on July 26, 2014, at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, where he passed Kyle Busch on the final restart and held him off to win the Lilly Diabetes 250. That victory remains Ty Dillon’s only Xfinity Series win, and it helped him finish second to Chase Elliott in the 2014 Rookie of the Year standings.
Ty Dillon continued to impress in 2015, finishing a career-best third in the Xfinity Series points standings without a win, while posting a career-high 25 top-tens and 12 top-fives. In 2016, he made the Xfinity Chase on points and recorded five runner-up finishes, including a Dash 4 Cash win at Richmond worth $100,000. Ty Dillon closed his full-time Xfinity career with one win, 92 top-ten finishes, and four poles.
NASCAR Cup Series Career (2014-Present)
Ty Dillon made his NASCAR Cup Series debut on August 31, 2014, in the Oral-B USA 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway, driving the No. 33 for Hillman-Circle Sport LLC in partnership with RCR. He later drove for Circle Sport-Leavine Family Racing in 2016 and made substitute appearances with Stewart-Haas Racing and Tommy Baldwin Racing. In November 2016, Ty Dillon was announced as the driver of the No. 13 GEICO Chevrolet for Germain Racing beginning in 2017, where he would spend the next four full Cup Series seasons.
Ty Dillon’s first career Cup Series top-ten finish came in the 2018 Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona, where he placed sixth after 71 career starts. The following year, he won his first career Cup stage at Bristol and scored his first top-five finish with a fourth-place run at the rain-shortened July Daytona race. His best Cup Series points result is a tie for 24th, which he achieved in both 2017 and 2019, and he has recorded eight career Cup Series top-ten finishes.
Kaulig Racing Era (2024-Present)
After spending 2023 with Spire Motorsports, where he finished last among full-time drivers, Ty Dillon joined Kaulig Racing in 2024 for a partial Cup Series schedule. He drove the No. 16 in a five-race deal, the No. 50 for Team AmeriVet at the Coca-Cola 600, and returned to the No. 33 at Richard Childress Racing for the Brickyard 400. In 2025, Ty Dillon moved into the No. 10 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 full-time at Kaulig Racing, replacing Daniel Hemric.
Ty Dillon is also running a part-time schedule in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series in 2026, driving the No. 25 Ram 1500 for Kaulig Racing. He originally drove the No. 25 truck full-time for Rackley W.A.R. in 2024, his first full Truck Series season since 2013, before stepping out of the seat midseason to mentor Dawson Sutton. His return to Kaulig Racing has given Ty Dillon a stable platform to rebuild momentum in both the Cup and Truck Series.
Driving Style and Strengths
Ty Dillon is widely regarded as a smooth, consistent driver with strong plate-track and superspeedway instincts. His patience in traffic and ability to avoid the big one have produced several of his best finishes at Daytona and Talladega. He is also a capable road-course racer, demonstrated by his aggressive battles in the Xfinity Series, and he works closely with his engineers to maximize strategy on long runs.
Notable Races and Milestones
Ty Dillon’s signature victories include his first Truck Series win at Atlanta Motor Speedway in 2012, his first Xfinity Series win at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in 2014, and his first Cup Series stage win at Bristol Motor Speedway in 2019. The 2020 YellaWood 500 at Talladega, where he was promoted to a then-career-best third-place finish, also stands out as a milestone moment in his Cup career.
Ty Dillon Career Wins
Across NASCAR’s three national series and the ARCA Menards Series, Ty Dillon has compiled 13 verified victories: nine in ARCA, three in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, and one in the NASCAR Xfinity Series. He has yet to win in the NASCAR Cup Series, but he has come close with multiple top-five finishes and stage wins. His wins reflect a steady climb through the NASCAR ranks, beginning with regional short tracks and culminating in victory lane at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
NASCAR Xfinity Series Highlights
Ty Dillon has one career Xfinity Series win, scored at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on July 26, 2014. He added three career poles in the series, with his first pole coming at Las Vegas and additional poles at Kentucky and Kansas. Ty Dillon’s best Xfinity Series points finish was third in 2015, a season in which he logged 25 top-ten finishes without visiting victory lane.
NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Highlights
Ty Dillon recorded three Truck Series wins during his time with Richard Childress Racing. His first Truck Series win came at Atlanta Motor Speedway in 2012, followed by additional victories at Kentucky Speedway and Texas Motor Speedway in 2013. He finished second in the 2013 Truck Series standings and was named the series’ Most Popular Driver that same year.
Other Wins & Performances
Outside of NASCAR, Ty Dillon won the 2011 ARCA Racing Series championship with seven victories, after scoring two more ARCA wins in 2010. He also won the 2014 DIRTcar Nationals UMP Modified championship and the 2008 Patriot Nationals. Across the ARCA Menards Series, ARCA East, and ARCA West combined, he accumulated nine series wins, one East win, and 19 top-ten finishes.
| Series | Wins | Top Tens | Poles |
|---|---|---|---|
| NASCAR Cup Series | 0 | 8 | 0 |
| NASCAR Xfinity Series | 1 | 92 | 4 |
| NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series | 3 | 38 | 5 |
| ARCA Menards Series | 9 | 19 | 8 |
Ty Dillon Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Ty Dillon comes from one of the most recognized families in NASCAR. His grandfather, Richard Childress, owns Richard Childress Racing, while his father, Mike Dillon, is a retired NASCAR driver who serves as RCR’s general manager. His older brother, Austin Dillon, is also a full-time NASCAR Cup Series driver for RCR, driving the No. 3 Chevrolet. Ty Dillon’s uncle, RCR executive Danny Dillon, has worked in various roles within the team.
Personal Life
Ty Dillon married Haley Carey on December 20, 2014, at Childress Vineyards in Lexington, North Carolina. The couple welcomed their daughter, Oakley Ray Dillon, on November 20, 2017, and their son, Kapton Reed Dillon, on October 29, 2020. The family has long resided in the Piedmont Triad area of North Carolina, where Ty Dillon continues to balance his racing career with family life.
2025 Season Performance
Ty Dillon entered the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series season driving the No. 10 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 for Kaulig Racing full-time. The move marked his return to a full-time Cup Series ride after a limited 2024 campaign that included races with Kaulig Racing, Team AmeriVet, and Richard Childress Racing. The 2025 season represented a fresh opportunity for Ty Dillon to establish himself as a weekly contender with a competitive organization.
Midway through the 2025 campaign, Ty Dillon sat 33rd in the Cup Series point standings. He continued to log steady finishes and stage points while building chemistry with his Kaulig Racing crew chief and team engineers. His plate-track experience at Daytona and Talladega has remained a strength, and Kaulig Racing has invested in mid-pack performance upgrades to help push Ty Dillon toward more consistent top-20 results.
Looking ahead, Ty Dillon is also scheduled to compete part-time in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series in 2026, driving the No. 25 Ram 1500 for Kaulig Racing. The dual-series schedule gives him extra seat time and a chance to chase another Truck Series victory. With his family legacy and renewed team support, Ty Dillon’s outlook entering the second half of 2025 is focused on steady improvement and a stronger run in the Cup Series standings.
