Austin Dillon through the years

By Kathy Sheldon | Thursday, December 6, 2018

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1998: Who's that celebrating with Dale Earnhardt after the No. 3 won the 1998 Daytona 500? Car owner Richard Childress' grandsons, Ty Dillon (left) and Austin Dillon along with Earnhardt's daughter Taylor Nicole.

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Jerry Markland | Getty Images for NASCAR

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2008: Dillon made his first NASCAR Xfinity Series start in 2008 as driver of the No. 21 Childress Institute Chevrolet. He ran two races that year and didn't race full-time in the series until 2012.

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2010: Dillon found Victory Lane twice in that first year as a full-time Trucks driver. He won at Iowa and celebrated with grandfather Richard Childress, then again later in the season at Las Vegas.

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John Harrelson | Getty Images for NASCAR

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2011: Dillon made his Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series debut at Kansas Speedway, driving the No. 98 President Ronald Reagan Centennial Chevrolet for Richard Childress Racing.

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2011: Austin Dillon's first championship came this year, driving the No. 3 Bass Pro Shops/Tracker Chevrolet for RCR in Trucks. Austin's brother Ty got in on the official champion photo shoot at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

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2014: As Dillon moved to full-time racing in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series, he brought the No. 3 back to the racetrack at the top level, as well. Richard Childress hadn't run the No. 3 since Dale Earnhardt's death in 2001. Dillon promptly put the No. 3 up front for the Daytona 500, capturing his first Monster Energy Series pole.

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Brian Lawdermilk | Getty Images for Texas Motor Speedway

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2015: Along the path of his career, Dillon also brought the cowboy hat back into the garage. And not just at Texas Motor Speedway. Finally, Richard Petty had some company in the western wear department.

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Sarah Crabill | Getty Images

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2017: The dab fad having faded quickly, Dillon was ready with a new move when he got his breakthrough first Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series victory: the infield grass slide. Dillon led only the final two laps of the marathon Coca-Cola 600, slipping past seven-time champion Jimmie Johnson for that first premier series victory when the No. 48 ran out of gas.