Denny Hamlin thinks Ty Dillon’s luck in NASCAR’s In-Season Challenge is running out. In the latest episode of Actions Detremental, Hamlin explained why he thinks Dillon’s Cinderella story is at its end.
Ty Dillon’s ongoing run for $1 million in the NASCAR In-Season Challenge has been one of the best underdog stories of the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series season. At 33 years old, Dillon, who is the longest active Cup Series driver not to win a race, has gone from a 32nd-place and final-seed qualifier to the final round.
In his pursuit of this tournament win, Dillon has defeated John Hunter Nemechek, Alex Bowman, Brad Keselowski, and Denny Hamlin. Hamlin, who entered the tournament at EchoPark Speedway, was seeded as No. 1; however, a crash left Hamlin in 31st and out of the tournament.
Despite rooting for his former tournament opponent, Hamlin revealed on the latest episode of Actions Detremental that he thinks Dillon’s run for $1 million is finished this weekend in the final round at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
What’s Happening? This summer, NASCAR debuts its new in-season tournament, the In-Season Challenge. This tournament will pit drivers head-to-head for $1…
Hamlin clarified that his doubts have little to do with Dillon’s skill; rather, it’s a performance factor going against Joe Gibbs Racing’s Ty Gibbs.
“This is a track where absolute car performance matters. I think he’s at a deficit there. Qualifying really is gonna be a big factor. He’s gonna be at a deficit there… this just isn’t a side-by-side racetrack. Once we get single-filed out, there’s just not gonna be a whole lot of passing here. It’s not that kind of track where you can make something happen on a restart. There’s nothing to make happen; the track is narrow. So I think it ends here.” — Denny Hamlin
But, just because Dillon may not be able to make anything happen during the race, Hamlin says that the unpredictability factor could favor a Dillon win.
“The only way it doesn’t end is if he finishes 25th again, and Ty Gibbs wrecks,” Hamlin said. “Which, that’s worked for the first three or four rounds. So, anything can happen, it is NASCAR racing, but it’s Ty Gibbs’ to lose.”
Though he supports Dillon’s run, Hamlin did reflect on what could’ve been had he finished the race in Atlanta, asking his co-hosts, “How easy was my path to the finals if I just get past the first week?” Though if he had faced Bowman at Sonoma, Hamlin could’ve faced a close elimination.
NASCAR’s In-Season Challenge was an engaging attempt from NASCAR to invest fans in the product during the summer stretch. Beginning at EchoPark Speedway, NASCAR pitted 32 drivers head-to-head, slimming the field down over the next four races until they reached the final two drivers, Gibbs and Dillon.
While this tournament has been interesting, some fans have viewed the product and head-to-head action as lackluster. For example, while Dillon is on a Cinderella-type run, most attribute that to this tournament’s chaotic and untraditional schedule.
The tournament kicked off in Atlanta, a drafting track, then turned to two road courses, the Chicago Street Circuit and Sonoma, then went to Dover, a short track, and now heads to a 2.5-mile oval in Indianapolis. Furthermore, in his pursuit of the $1 million, Dillon has finished no higher than 8th, finishing outside the top 15 in the last three races.
What’s Happening? This weekend, all three NASCAR National Series roll into Indiana with the Truck Series racing at Lucas Oil Indianapolis…
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