- Ty Dillon outlasts John Hunter Nemechek to complete unlikely run to the In-Season Challenge finals.
- Ty Gibbs surges past Tyler Reddick to book his place at Indianapolis.
- Both Tys will race for $1 million at the Brickyard 400.
No. 32 seed Ty Dillon advanced to the final round of the $1 million midseason tournament by finishing 20th in Sunday’s Cup Series race at Dover Motor Speedway — just one spot ahead of No. 12 seed John Hunter Nemechek, who was the first car one lap down in 21st. Dillon received the free pass ahead of the double overtime restart, allowing him to sneak into the Champions Round at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. He is now just 160 laps away from completing one of the most improbable runs in recent NASCAR memory.
While Dillon’s result was the story of the Challenge, it came in a race won by Denny Hamlin — ironic, considering Dillon knocked out Hamlin in the opening round at EchoPark Speedway. Hamlin, the tournament’s No. 1 seed, claimed his fourth win of the season and second straight at the Monster Mile but had no bearing on the Challenge outcome.
Had things fallen slightly differently, Hamlin could have been the one headed to Indianapolis. He finished fourth in Chicago, the same result Dillon posted there. At Sonoma, Hamlin finished 20th to Alex Bowman’s 19th — a single-position swing that kept the 58-time race winner out of the Challenge bracket.
Instead, it will be Ty vs. Ty.
Both Ty Dillon and Ty Gibbs Advance
Ty Gibbs secured his spot with a strong fifth-place finish, outlasting fellow Toyota driver Tyler Reddick after both drivers pitted for tires at Lap 388. While Reddick had beaten Gibbs off pit road following the red flag stoppage for rain, he faded to 12th over the final laps as Gibbs capitalized on the overtime restarts.
On the other side of the bracket, Dillon’s battle with Nemechek was far less glamorous but just as dramatic. Both drivers ran in the 20s for much of the race, and both went a lap down. When the opportunity for the free pass came, Dillon took full advantage. He returned to the lead lap and finished one spot ahead of Nemechek when it mattered most.
Legacy Motor Club’s Nemechek showed resilience throughout the tournament. He was seeded 12th after finishing sixth in both Pocono and Mexico City and reached the semifinals with a consistent, if unspectacular, run. Though he never finished better than 15th during the Challenge rounds, he demonstrated that survive-and-advance is still a winning mentality.
Who’s Up: Ty Gibbs
Ty Gibbs is building momentum at the perfect time. His top-five at Dover extended a strong run of form that has seen him finish no worse than 14th over the past seven races. Since the In-Season Challenge seeding began at Michigan, Gibbs has climbed from 27th to 16th in the championship standings. He now sits just 52 points below the playoff cutline.
Gibbs credited his team’s recent consistency and guidance from JGR competition director Chris Gabehart and crew chief Tyler Allen for the improvement.
Who’s Down: Tyler Reddick
Reddick came into Dover with Challenge momentum, having finished no worse than sixth in the previous rounds. But a late fade spoiled his shot at the final. After restarting ninth, Reddick slipped to 12th and couldn’t hold off Gibbs when it counted. While it’s not the ending the 23XI Racing driver had hoped for, his playoff prospects remain strong.
Now, the final matchup is set.
Ty vs. Ty. One race. One million dollars. Only one slipper fits.
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