Denny Hamlin stunned after Ty Dillon wins NASCAR bracket at Dover

Denny Hamlin, an experienced 43-year-old operator excelled again connected Sunday astatine the celebrated Dover International Speedway, but adjacent the triumph did not halt him from making a fewer ironic comments astir Ty Dillon, who arsenic the 32nd effect won the last of the NASCAR In-Season Challenge series. The competition, which is the archetypal of its kind, volition extremity adjacent play successful Indianapolis, and Dillon amazed galore with his performances.

In the archetypal contention of the challenge, which was driven successful Atlanta, this outsider eliminated precisely Hamlin aft helium ended up successful the wall. Since then, helium continued to sound down the favorites 1 by one, and helium besides defeated Brad Keselowski, Alex Bowman and John Hunter Nemechek successful the finals. Ty Gibbs is waiting for him successful the past race, which could beryllium 1 of the biggest sensations of the year.

Comments aft the contention successful Dover

"Is helium successful the finals? You cognize what that tells me... If I had passed Atlanta, however casual would it person been for maine to scope the finals? Where did helium finish? Twentieth?!" Hamlin said aft the Dover race. "Honestly, I'm rooting for him personally, particularly since he's the worst seed. But I deliberation he'll request immoderate assistance astatine Indy."

The operator of his 23XI Racing team, Tyler Reddick, was inactive successful the game, but helium was conscionable kicked retired by Gibbs. "I'm 100% for Ty [Gibbs] now. I wasn't determination this weekend, but it looks similar helium got Tyler [Reddick] out. So -- let's spell Ty Gibbs," Hamlin said.

Dillon, connected the different hand, didn't fto the comments sway him:

"It feels great," helium told NBC Sports. "I've been an outsider for a agelong time, warring from the backmost and looking for my chance. Over time, you get utilized to radical underestimating you."

"It's hard to accidental we were lucky, due to the fact that we made it this far. We're not the fastest, but we're causing problems for everyone astir us. That's each we tin bash – use unit and present erstwhile it matters most. That's what we did."

The last country of this communicative volition beryllium Indianapolis Motor Speedway, a way that suits Dillon. It remains to beryllium seen whether helium volition extremity his fairy communicative successful the champion way.