Austin Dillon and his younger brother, Ty, both experienced tire problems in Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series Freeway Insurance 500 at Phoenix Raceway.
Midway through Stage 2, Dillon’s No. 3 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet suffered a right-rear tire failure, causing him to spin out in turn 4. Unfortunately for the older Dillon brother, the damage in the incident was too severe and he was unable to continue.
Under the caution period following Austin’s spin-out, younger brother Ty had a right-front tire failure. Between the two separate incidents, it was not a great few laps for the Dillon brothers at Phoenix.
Austin, Ty Dillon Experience Tire Issues at Phoenix
Austin Dillon was running in the 15th position at the time of his spin-out in Turn 4 towards the end of Stage 2.
The No. 3 RCR Chevrolet came to rest against the outside SAFER barrier. While Dillon attempted to drive away from the scene, he ultimately went to the garage.
In a bizarre turn of events, Ty Dillon had a tire problem of his own on his No. 10 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet as he drove past his older brother’s wrecked No. 3 machine.
“And now Ty Dillon has a flat right front driving past the Austin Dillon accident site! Double whammy for the Dillon Brothers,” Steven Taranto wrote via X.
Ty Dillon ran into more tire troubles in the final stage as he suffered a second tire failure, but was able to make it to pit road without issue and the caution did not come out. The younger Dillon finished Sunday’s race in 31st, while Austin Dillon placed dead last in 37th.
With three races remaining in the season, Austin Dillon ranks 25th in the points standings. Ty Dillon, meanwhile, sits 34th in the standings, which is next-to-last among all full-time Cup drivers.
A Look at The NASCAR Cup Careers of The Dillon Brothers
Austin Dillon broke onto the NASCAR Cup Series scene full-time in 2014. Piloting the No. 3 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet, it took a while for the Welcome, North Carolina native to find his way.
Ultimately, Dillon finally broke through in 2017 by winning the Coca-Cola 600, his first career Cup Series win. Dillon followed up in 2018 with a victory in the Daytona 500, 20 years after the late Dale Earnhardt’s sole win in “The Great American Race” behind the wheel of the No. 3.
Dillon picked up his third career Cup win in 2020 at Texas Motor Speedway. In 2022, Dillon returned to victory lane at Daytona in the Coke Zero Sugar 400.
In 2024 and 2025, Dillon won the fall Richmond race. He has six career wins total across 12 seasons of Cup Series competition.
The Cup Series has not been as kind to the younger Dillon brother, however. Ty Dillon has jumped around between numerous race teams since moving up to the Cup level full-time in 2017.
Unfortunately for Ty, he has yet to win a NASCAR Cup Series race. Ty Dillon has eight career top-10 finishes and two top-five finishes in 313 Cup starts. The younger Dillon has one win in the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series and three Craftsman Truck Series wins.
Tire Issues Cause Drama For The Dillon Brothers at Phoenix