“I’m happy because he’s happy.” With Ty Dillion taking up a full-time role at Germain Racing, NASCAR legend Richard Childress was on the top of the world. After all, both his grandsons were making it big in a sport he’d carved out a legacy in, Ty with Germain while his brother Austin carved out his Cup Series path in his grandfather’s team. Seven years later, Childress is welcoming back his younger grandson. Although Ty will compete in a different team, the family conversation is still progressing.

After his last full-time stint back in 2023, Ty Dillon is back. He will drive the No. 10 Chevrolet for the Kaulig Racing team’s 2025 Cup Series season, starting with the upcoming Daytona 500 race. While he is building synergy with his new team, Ty spoke about succeeding his grandfather at RCR.

A family seat for Ty Dillon?

The grandfather-grandson duo have always had a fuzzy relationship. When Richard Childress Racing celebrated its 50th NASCAR anniversary back in 2018, one car stood out in its collection. The organization had acquired the No. 8, which Daniel Hemric was booked to drive. However, Childress revealed that he originally got the number for Ty Dillon, who had already begun his Cup Series journey under German Racing. Then in the 2019 Talladega race, Dillon paid a solid tribute to his granddad. His car wore a scheme that was a throwback to the No. 13 Chevrolet Camaro that Childress drove in 1969 at Alabama Superspeedway.

This strong bond may result in strong talks about the future. Richard Childress divulged such a hint in recent talks with Dale Earnhardt Jr, where he appreciated both his sons’ efforts. Although the two clashed at the Bowman Gray Clash race, Childress was glad to see them furthering familial traditions.

In an interview with Steven Taranto, Ty Dillon at first talked about venturing out of his grandfather’s fold.  “Honestly, it wasn’t that I left to do my own thing. Sometimes in life, there’s no more doors open. And you gotta create your own doors. It’s not like I left to try and figure it out on my own…I had to provide for my family and do the career I’ve built my whole life.” He added, “I wouldn’t change the fact that I had to gout and fight for what I wanted. I think it has made me a better person, made me have more gratitude and appreciation for what I have.”

For Dillon things looked tough. He has not won in 244 Cup starts – the last time he won was at a 2014 Xfinity race. Although winless, Ty Dillon displayed sparks in his part-time stint last year. He clinched three top-20 finishes, the most noteworthy of which was a 16th-place result in Texas. So Dillon has caught his grandfather’s eye again, as he dropped hints about a major plan. “I’m lucky that things have come back together in my career and I’ve worked really hard. I know it seems like I am just coming back to the fold at RCR. I wish they would have expounded on that more. But for the past two and a half years, I’ve been at my grandfather’s meetings not only at RCR and some of his other businesses…it’s been some of the greatest moments of my life.” 

But before Austin Dillon joins hands with his grandfather, he has to prove his mettle at Kaulig Racing.

An affable atmosphere

Trending

1

Chase Elliott and Bubba Wallace Lock Horns as They Reveal Their Revamped Schedules

2

“Pathetic”: NASCAR’s Historic Daytona 500 Purse Marred by Controversy as Fans Expose a Dark Reality

3

Rumor: NASCAR to Slap Cup Series Driver With Big Penalty as Illegal Daytona 500 Tactics Come Out

4

Daniel Suarez Breaks Silence on Rumors of Losing Trackhouse Seat With a Selfish Claim

Entertaining a fuzzy atmosphere goes a long way to amplify a workspace. The same goes for any NASCAR Cup Series team – add a drive to win races and it would be perfect. Kaulig Racing is on an upward trajectory – Shane van Gisbergen brought the team three road course victories in Xfinity last year. Kaulig attained its first Cup victory at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in 2021, besides being a solid Xfinity Series contender. For the 2025 season, they will work with Ty Dillon and also happen to have a technical alliance with RCR. Andrew Dickeson, who worked as an engineer at RCR for years, was appointed as the crew chief for Ty Dillon’s No. 10 car.

Besides the familial atmosphere at Kaulig Racing, Ty Dillon is building on some solid bonds in the team as well. “We have some awesome personalities…AJ is one of the most determined people I know. I think you can use those personalities to make yourself better. I love his fight that he has had not only for the race car but for his career. And then you got Chris Rice, who is a gregarious guy, who’s always having fun – but there’s always this underlying that he wants to win…That runs through Kaulig Racing, everybody there wants to win. Matt Kaulig is a winner…he expects nothing less from us on the track. So I love that.”

Evidently, Ty Dillon is feeling at home for the 2025 season. As we approach the season-opening Daytona race, let us see how he performs.