When NASCAR driver Ty Dillon, pilot of the No. 13 GEICO Chevrolet, comes to Talladega Superspeedway in a couple of weeks for the GEICO 500 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series (MENCS) race, it will be a homecoming of sorts – from both a family aspect as well as his car number.
You see, Talladega Superspeedway is special to Dillon. The Sunoco Rookie of the Year Candidate’s grandfather – Talladega Superspeedway 12-time winning car owner (tied for most with Rick Hendrick) and NASCAR Hall of Famer Richard Childress – basically had his NASCAR career take off as a result of the mammoth 2.66-mile venue’s first-ever event weekend held way back in September of 1969, just after the iconic track was built.
“When I think of Talladega Superspeedway, I immediately think back to the rich history and family connection that we share with it,” said Dillon, who was visiting with many of the nearly 5,500 employees at GEICO’s Macon Regional Office on Wednesday to promote his first official career
The story is a good one. Childress drove in a smaller, support race on Saturday of that ’69 inaugural weekend, finishing 17th in his 1968 No.13 Camaro. That same day, many of the top NASCAR drivers, scheduled to compete in the next day’s Talladega 500 NASCAR Cup event, withdrew after citing high speeds and the possibility of tire failures. Bill France, Sr., founder of the track and president of NASCAR, came to Childress and many others who had competed Saturday to ask them to race on Sunday. It would mean the opportunity to win more prize money, plus “bonus” dollars – in those days known as ‘deal money’- just to compete in the event. As a result, Childress drove his No. 13 (his only Cup start with this car number) again in the big 500-miler, finishing 23rd in the historical Talladega NASCAR Cup race. More importantly, Childress said he pocketed “seven, eight, 10 thousand dollars to buy land and build my first race shop. It was my big break. I was lucky to be in the right place at the right time.” He then drove for more than 12 years before becoming a successful team owner.
Some would say it was Lucky No. 13 that helped propel his career. Now it’s Dillon’s turn to make his first Cup start at Talladega – and yes, it is also in the No. 13. Plus, his sponsor – GEICO – is the race’s entitlement sponsor. “What an honor it’s going to be for me to strap into my GEICO Chevrolet, knowing the cool, historical facts that go with my granddad and the No. 13 at Talladega,” added Dillon, who is one of more than 70 drivers to sport the No. 13 in NASCAR’s premier series over the years. “Throw into it the fact that GEICO is a great partner to Talladega, and my granddad won so many races (12) there as an owner, it’s just going to be a much-anticipated weekend for me.”
Dillon is no stranger to the 2.66-mile venue, having won the 2011 ARCA Racing Series General Tire 200. He has also competed in both the NASCAR XFINITY Series and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series at Talladega. In fact, he actually drove laps in last year’s GEICO 500, but it came in a relief role where he didn’t start. He made the most of it, too, jumping behind the wheel of Tony Stewart’s machine under the first caution period and bringing it home in sixth place.
Wednesday’s appearance, however, was all about thanking the employees of GEICO, the second largest private auto insurer in the United States that currently insures more than 15 million policies and 23 million vehicles, for their support.
“To be here at the Macon Regional Office has been an incredible experience,” said the 25-year old who also helped judge a car show competition amongst the employees during his visit. “I am extremely proud to have GEICO on board our race car and cannot thank the employees enough for all that they do. It was special to shake so many hands and meet face-to-face with the many individuals who make GEICO what it is today. It is nice knowing I have them in my corner for the GEICO 500 at Talladega.”
Follow Ty and the No. 13 GEICO team on Sunday, May 7 for the GEICO 500, which will feature heart-pounding three and four-wide racing on NASCAR’s Most Competitive Track. It’s not just incredible racing that Talladega Superspeedway offers, but the overall weekend experience the track provides to fans. On Friday night, the infamous “Big One on the Blvd” takes place in the infield, featuring NASCAR’s biggest stars and one-of-a-kind fan competitions. The following night, The Charlie Daniels Band will headline the Saturday Night Infield Concert, which is free to anyone who has purchased a GEICO 500 ticket.
For general ticket information for the GEICO 500, Sparks Energy 300 NASCAR XFINITY Series race (Saturday, May 6), or the General Tire 200 (Friday, May 5) ARCA Racing Series Presented by Menards event, log on to www.talladegasuperspeedway.
Kids 12-and-under receive free admission to all tower and grandstand seats on Friday and Saturday. For Sunday’s GEICO 500, kids receive $50 off all grandstand and tower prices.
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