Ty Dillon wins Nationwide Series race at Indianapolis

Jul 26, 2014; Indianapolis, IN, USA; NASCAR Nationwide Series driver Ty Dillon does a burn out after winning the Indiana 250 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports

Ty Dillon was on top of the world at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Saturday evening, and rightfully so. He claimed his first-career NASCAR Nationwide Series win at Indianapolis, leading a group of Sprint Cup regulars to the checkered flag. Kyle Busch finished second to Dillon, Matt Kenseth was third, Kevin Harvick fourth, and Joey Logano rounded out the top-five.

“It feels great,” Dillon said. “I couldn’t ask for anything better right now — to beat Kyle Busch, Matt Kenseth, Kevin Harvick, all the guys we beat.”

On top of the win, Dillon also won the $100,000 Nationwide Insurance Dash 4 Cash bonus awarded for Indianapolis as the highest finisher among the four drivers racing for said bonus at Indianapolis, with the other three being Brian Scott, Chase Elliott and Trevor Bayne. In addition to winning the extra cash at Indianapolis, he also earned eligibility to race for a similar bonus next weekend at Iowa Speedway in Newton. At Iowa, Dillon will battle Regan Smith, Scott and Bayne for the final Dash 4 Cash bonus of the year.

“It’s all about the trophy, though,” Dillon said.

Dillon got by Busch on lap 77, soon after the final restart of the race, and drove away from Busch over the course of the remaining 23 laps that made up the 100-lap race.

“I slipped and he got right by me,” Busch said. “He drove underneath me, and that was the race, right there.”

The race came down to a battle of pit strategies in the second half. Originally, most teams planned on a road course-type strategy, pitting as soon as they entered their pit windows. As a result, Harvick and others stayed out with the second caution of the race came out on lap 55. Busch, Dillon and other headed down pit road, but Harvick and others waiting until the race went past lap 65 under green.

The yellow flag waved one more time for debris on lap 71, negating the benefit of Harvick’s strategy. With the additional caution laps, Busch, Dillon and the rest who pitted under the previous caution were able to go the remaining distance. While Busch and Dillon restarted up front, Harvick restarted outside the top-15.

Busch started on the pole, but like he lost the lead to Dillon on a restart, he lost the lead at the start of the race to Kenseth. Harvick got up to second, and by lap 10 was leading the race.

Harvick lost the lead to Logano on the first restart of the race that followed a yellow flag on lap 15. Logano and Dillon took two tires and restarted the race first and second, while Harvick took four.

Harvick eventually got back up to second and took the lead as some headed down pit road early just past lap 30. Harvick stayed out and ran up front until he finally pitted for two tires on lap 45.

Finishing sixth through 10th were Paul Menard, Scott, Kyle Larson, Bayne and Smith.

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