In preparation for an eventual move to full-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series racing, Ty Dillon will increase his presence in NASCAR’s top series next year, pending sponsorship. Dillon will spend another year running for the XFINITY Series championship in 2016. He currently is second in the series standings behind leader Chris Buescher. “We’re kind of working on it now,” said Richard Childress, Dillon’s grandfather and team owner. “It sort of depends on the sponsorship and all, but we want to get him set up for the XFINITY Series next year, and if we can get him going in the Cup [Series], that’s kind of our plan.”(NASCAR Wire Service)(5-25-2015)
UPDATE: Ty Dillon will be back behind the wheel of a Sprint Cup car this weekend at Pocono Raceway, driving the Joe Falk-owned #33 Chevy with sponsor Yuengling on board. However, there has been talk in the garage of the 23-year-old driver wanting to go full-time Sprint Cup Series racing in 2016. On Tuesday’s edition of SiriusXM NASCAR Radio’s “Tradin’ Paint,” Dillon set the record straight and said that is in fact the plan for next year, but there is still a lot of work to be done in order for it to happen. “I don’t know if we can fully commit to say anything,” Dillon told host Jim Noble. “We don’t have anything in concrete, and that’s the way the sport goes. I think we have full intentions “ I know I do and my grandfather both sat down talking of full intentions of doing both full-time series and running for the points in the Sprint Cup Series. That’s all in due time and that’s what we’re working toward right now.” The younger Dillon brother admitted that could be “off in the future and sponsor-pending.” “I know I can get in the Cup Series next year do a good job and run for the rookie of the year. We have to continue to work hard and wait for opportunities to come up,” he said. There are a variety of options at Dillon’s disposal in the Sprint Cup Series. Richard Childress Racing is currently a three-car team with Austin Dillon, Ryan Newman and Paul Menard. Ty Dillon and fellow RCR driver Brian Scott often compete in Falk’s #33 Chevry, and Brendan Gaughan “ RCR’s third XFINITY Series driver “ often runs Sprint Cup entries for team owner Jay Robinson. In addition, RCR has a close technical alliance with Furniture Row Racing. The long-time single-car team recently told FOXSports.com it is open to the idea of fielding a second car, if sponsorship were to work out.(FoxSports)(6-2-2015)
UPDATE: Friday, Ty Dillon was asked about current plans for next season:
HAS ANYTHING PROGRESSED IN THE DISCUSSIONS ABOUT NEXT SEASON AND THE CUP SERIES? IS THERE ANYTHING MORE CONCRETE ALONG THOSE LINES?
“No, nothing real concrete. We had talks, actually starting last year that going into this year we were going to start searching for an opportunity for me to run full-time in the Sprint Cup Series, like my brother, after his second year in the XFINITY Series. But it’s a slow process. We’re doing a lot of different things and working with a lot of different people. It’s not really our main focus. It’s kind of on the back burner at this point. But, if we could get something nailed down early, it would only help our effort for next year. But right now, my main focus as a driver is getting experience. When I do get to run the Sprint Cup Series this year, if something were to happen for next year; and also, getting experience so I can go win the XFINITY championship this year.”
IF IT WERE TO HAPPEN, WOULD IT NECESSARILY HAVE TO BE WITH THE RCR TEAM, OR COULD IT PERHAPS BE WITH AN RCR-AFFILIATED TEAM? “The plan is to be with RCR. And that’s definitely what I want to do and my grandfather (Richard Childress), so we’re working 100 percent. There might be options later down the road, but right now we’re 100 percent focused on getting sponsorship for full-time for RCR.”(Team Chevy Racing)(6-6-2015)
