Austin Dillon
Austin Reed Dillon[1] (born April 27, 1990), self-nicknamed "the Ace",[2] is an American professional stock car racing driver. He competes full-time in the NASCAR Cup Series, driving the No. 3 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 for Richard Childress Racing. He is the grandson of RCR team owner Richard Childress, the older brother of Ty Dillon who competes full-time in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, and the son of Mike Dillon, a former racing driver who currently works as RCR's general manager.
Austin Dillon
Austin Reed Dillon
April 27, 1990
Welcome, North Carolina, U.S.
5 ft 8 in (1.73 m)
179 lb (81 kg)
2011 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Champion
2013 NASCAR Nationwide Series Champion
2014 Daytona 500 pole winner
2017 Coca-Cola 600 Winner
2018 Daytona 500 Winner
2021 Bluegreen Vacations Duels Winner
2022 Coke Zero Sugar 400 Winner
2008 NASCAR K&N Pro Series East Rookie of the Year
2010 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Rookie of the Year
2011 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Most Popular Driver
2012 NASCAR Nationwide Series Rookie of the Year
No. 3 (Richard Childress Racing)
29th
86th
1st (2013)
95th
1st (2011)
45th
45th (2012)
50th (2009)
2nd (2008)
38th (2019)
Dillon is the 2011 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series champion and the 2013 NASCAR Nationwide Series champion and the winner of the 2018 Daytona 500. He also won the Rookie of the Year award in both series in the year before he won the championship (2010 and 2012, respectively). He also holds the record for most consecutive poles in the Nationwide (now Xfinity) Series with four.
Racing career[edit]
2005–2007: Beginnings[edit]
Dillon began his racing career in Bandolero and Legends. A year later, he started dirt track racing at dirt late model racer Dale McDowell's school.[3]
2008: Camping World East Series[edit]
Dillon was the 2008 Rookie of the Year in the NASCAR Camping World East Series. He ran the full schedule in the No. 3 Chevrolet initially driving for Andy Santerre Motorsports; he eventually moved under his grandfather's Richard Childress Racing banner after four races.[4] Dillon scored one win at Greenville-Pickens Speedway, one pole and ten top-ten finishes in 13 races.[5]
In popular culture[edit]
In 2019, Dillon made a cameo in the movie Stuber alongside brother Ty and fellow driver Daniel Suárez.[63]
Dillon guest starred in the television series SEAL Team's Season 3, Episode 14 "Objects in Mirror", as a NASCAR driving instructor for the protagonists. Filming took place at Auto Club Speedway in December 2019, while the episode premiered on March 11, 2020.[64]
The Crew, a 2021 NASCAR-centric Netflix series, featured cameo appearances from Dillon and fellow Cup racers Ryan Blaney and Cole Custer.[65]
Dillon and his family are featured in the USA reality series Austin Dillon's Life in the Fast Lane.[66]
Personal life[edit]
Dillon became engaged to former NFL cheerleader Whitney Ward on August 9, 2016. Austin and Whitney were married December 9, 2017, at Childress Vineyards in Lexington, North Carolina.[67] Their son was born on June 14, 2020.[68] Dillon attended High Point University on a part-time basis.[69] He also played in the 2002 Little League World Series in South Williamsport, Pennsylvania.[70]
Dillon co-owns sports management agency Team Dillon Management with his brother Ty which currently manages both themselves as well as fellow NASCAR drivers Anthony Alfredo, A. J. Allmendinger, Sheldon Creed, Kaz Grala, Austin Hill, John Hunter Nemechek, Tanner Thorson and Cody Ware as well as golfers Brian Gay and Chris Stroud.[71]