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TALLADEGA, Ala. — Double duty continues this weekend for Ty Dillon as the Richard Childress Racing driver competes in Saturday’s XFINITY Series race and is expected to take over the No. 14 of Tony Stewart at some point in Sunday’s Sprint Cup Series event.
There’s still a bit of newness to the 2016 season but Dillon, 24, has already made 13 starts between the two series. In addition to his full-time role with RCR, he’s made three starts in place of Stewart as well as two for Circle Sport-Leavine Family Racing.
“I was hoping to maybe be full-time this year in the Sprint Cup Series about this time last year,” Dillon said Friday morning at Talladega Superspeedway, site of Sunday’s GEICO 500 (1 p.m. ET, FOX, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio). “That is where I kind of had my goals set, my eyes set, but the opportunity didn’t come along.
“I can’t thank Stewart-Haas (Racing) … enough for giving me the opportunity to fill in this year with Tony being out. Not only has it helped me with my career and getting better as a race car driver, but it’s helped me show people that I can get the job done in other equipment too.”
Stewart, a three-time premier series champion, missed the first eight races after suffering a back injury in the offseason. He made his first start last weekend at Richmond International Raceway.
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Dillon split time with fellow driver Brian Vickers in the car during Stewart’s absence.
With the potential for multi-car accidents much higher at Talladega, Stewart and Stewart-Haas Racing officials made the call to have Stewart start this week’s race and then turn the ride over to Dillon.
Dillon is also scheduled to qualify the car on Saturday. Because of his extensive time in the car, the interior will be fitted to address his needs.
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“I haven’t talked to Tony yet, but I talked with Mike (Bugarewicz, crew chief) and the guys,” Dillon said of the interior work. “They said it’s just a quarter-inch difference and the belt set is all that we are playing with. So, we’ve got adjustable belts to make up for that really quickly.
“We have had to make a couple of changes to kind of compensate for a little bit of both, but mostly everything in there is built for me and for my comfort, because I will be in it for the longer part of the race.”
By starting the race, Stewart will be awarded the points earned as a result of Dillon’s finishing position. In addition, NASCAR officials said that should Dillon win Sunday’s race, it would be counted as a win toward Stewart’s Chase eligibility. Stewart would also have to be among the top 30 in points. He currently trails Matt DiBenedetto, in 30th, by 101 points.
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“First of all it would mean I won a Sprint Cup race and I would be pretty excited,” Dillon said. “On top of that, to be able to get Tony a step closer to being locked into the Chase would be really cool. …
“I haven’t started a race without the goal of winning my entire career. That is what my focus is. As soon as I get strapped into that race car I’m planning on going to the front and hopefully winning the race. If it all comes together and we do win the race, I’m sure it will be a heck of a party and everybody is going to be happy.”
Stewart, who will retire from Sprint Cup competition at season’s end, said he was appreciative of the opportunity to contend for a spot in the 10-race Chase, but said he “wouldn’t feel good about” earning a berth based on a win by another driver.
“I think for me to make the Chase it needs to be because I ran the whole race and won the race, not started it and somebody else won it for me.”