After a strenuous five-week stretch packed with intense duels, full-contact clashes, and a Cinderella storyline, Ty Gibbs pocketed the $1 million prize as the winner of NASCAR’s inaugural In-Season Tournament. Gibbs held a seven-spot edge over Ty Dillon, who finished 28th in the Brickyard 400. Although he fell short in the finale, Dillon was the fan favorite, drawing support from every corner of the NASCAR community.
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And that’s why, before the race, Dillon offered some pointed suggestions on how NASCAR could elevate the excitement even further, while talking to Jeff Gluck on his 12 Questions segment.
This year’s In-Season Tournament captured fan interest largely because two unexpected drivers battled their way to the finale, but Dillon believes the sport can spotlight even more underdog narratives. Dillon said, “We’re doing some good stuff as far as going to new places.
“I think there should be a raised stake for tracks; they should be competing just as much as teams and drivers. Especially this year, we’ve had so many great attendance numbers and people showing up. But when a track doesn’t, now there’s something wrong.”
He argued that tracks should be held accountable just like teams. If a venue fails to meet certain attendance marks, NASCAR should consider pulling its race date the following season or within a couple of years, depending on contractual obligations. Tracks, he said, need to put in as much effort to draw crowds and deliver creative, engaging weekends as the teams do on the track.
The No. 10 Kaulig Racing driver also called for better storytelling, particularly for teams that aren’t part of the sport’s powerhouse ranks. As someone who directly benefited from the exposure the In-Season Tournament offered, Dillon emphasized that his team is not one of NASCAR’s key partner teams, yet managed to beat organizations with double the budget, twice the manpower, and sometimes five times the resources.
NASCAR, he argued, needs to look beyond its usual headliners. “We’ve worn those stories to death, and those drivers and teams aren’t really producing much more energy toward the sport. Maybe they’re exhausted from being up there, I don’t know,” he added.
According to Dillon, the garage is filled with compelling stories waiting to be told, and drivers like him, who fight against the odds, deserve more chances to let their personalities shine.
