RCR driver aims for consistency, communication, Daytona 500 upset
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There was no such thing as a stay-cation for Ty Dillon this offseason. Between his December wedding to longtime girlfriend Haley Carey, spending the holidays with family and a Hawaii honeymoon, Dillon estimated his hither-and-yon wintertime schedule kept him away from home for a month.
His next sojourn? A trip to Daytona with several points to prove.
Dillon’s busy time off will lead to an even busier driving schedule in 2015, which will mark his second full season in what is now the NASCAR XFINITY Series. But the 22-year-old driver is also blending in a partial schedule in NASCAR’s other two national tours, including his biggest Sprint Cup challenge to date — a debut in the Great American Race, the Daytona 500 on Feb. 22 (1 p.m. ET, FOX).
Dillon readily acknowledges the crapshoot nature of the season-opening event, but hopes that translates to a better shot for a relative newcomer to NASCAR’s top division.
“I think my odds are good,” Dillon said during Richard Childress Racing’s portion of last month’s Charlotte Motor Speedway Media Tour presented by Technocom. “I think everybody dreams of just having that opportunity to be in the 500, and I’ve finally got my chance. I love superspeedway racing, and I’m going to do whatever I can.”
But beyond the sunny shores of Florida, Dillon has long-term improvement in his full-time series in mind. Though Dillon wound up fifth in the final XFINITY Series points, his first full year working with crew chief Danny Stockman Jr. and first complete season in the RCR No. 3 Camaro, he was outshone by the 1-2 result in the standings by JR Motorsports teammates Chase Elliott, the rookie champion, and Regan Smith.
Back home and focused on his at-track duties, Dillon said he believes 2015 won’t be a repeat of the previous season, when he went until mid-July without a top-five effort.
“Danny and I have really been really been working hard with our team and making sure we do take that next step and make sure we don’t start like last year,” Dillon said. “We all felt like we started a couple steps behind from where Chase Elliott and the JR Motorsports cars were. We want to be those guys this year. We want them to be a couple steps behind us. The way things are going, I feel like we’re going to have an opportunity to do that.”
Developing communication — which should also serve Dillon well as a newlywed — will likely be key to helping the Childress team make gains. Stockman worked with Austin Dillon for two seasons, leading him to a series championship in 2013 before shifting over to turn the wrenches on his brother’s efforts in the famed No. 3.
Austin Dillon’s more vocal, outward personality — Ty Dillon referred to him as the “crowd-pleaser” of the two; Stockman called him a “show-stopper” — made for a vastly different driver-crew chief dynamic. The younger, and more reserved, Dillon’s feedback and driving style took an adjustment period before things began to click.
“We don’t talk about a whole lot. We like to show it on the race track,” Stockman said. “The first half of the season last year, that was tough between both of us. I worked with Ty before, but it takes a little bit for us both to open up. Halfway through the season, we’re opened up and I’m understanding him and he’s understanding me, and that’s a big part of success, knowing what your driver needs. They’re both totally different. Austin’s one person, and he’s another.
“Like I was telling somebody earlier, Ty’s not all about the frills. He just kind of wants to lay back; he’s not necessarily enthused about being on TV, the interviews or all that stuff. He just wants to drive a race car. Austin likes being on top, being known and all that. It takes some time to figure that out.”
Once things coalesced, a landmark victory at historic Indianapolis Motor Speedway followed, but the sought-after consistency that Dillon needed to unseat Elliott for the XFINITY crown wasn’t quite there. Finding a steady hand over the rigors of a 33-race season remains the primary concern heading into 2015.
But even as the focus sharpens on his XFINITY campaign, Dillon is set to branch out to gain as much seat time as possible this year. Besides his Daytona 500 ride, Dillon is also confirmed to race in June at Pocono Raceway with the hopes of adding more Sprint cup events for an estimated five- to six-race schedule. He’ll also get behind the wheel for three Camping World Truck Series events with GMS Racing this season.
So long as the team chemistry and extra effort at RCR’s Welcome, North Carolina, headquarters continue to grow, Dillon said he believes his development will follow.
“With the passion and intensity that we share, we’ve been digging hard and we work together almost every day,” Dillon said of his pairing with Stockman. “Whether it’s me coming up with ideas or his ideas in bringing our team together, we want to take that next step and we want to dominate this year.”