Dillon to Drive No. 14 at Michigan

The second domino has fallen into place in the race to replace Tony Stewart behind the wheel of the No. 14 Chevrolet in NASCAR's top division.

The team announced today that it has named 23-year-old Austin Dillon interim driver of the No. 14 Mobil 1/Bass Pro Shops Chevrolet for the Pure Michigan 400 event Aug. 16-18 at Michigan International Speedway in Brooklyn.

Dillon is the 2011 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series champion and competes full-time in the NASCAR Nationwide Series, where he currently leads the championship standings. He has two Nationwide Series wins and five Camping World Truck Series victories, the most recent of which came July 24 in the inaugural CarCash Mudsummer Classic presented by CNBC Prime’s “The Profit” at Eldora Speedway in Rossurg, Ohio, which is owned by Stewart. The Pure Michigan 400 will mark Dillon’s 10th career Sprint Cup start.

“I’ve watched Austin for many years and at each stage of his racing career he’s been successful,” Stewart said. “He’s proven to be a very fast learner, and he’s able to adapt quickly. Being the youngest champion in the history of the Truck Series is proof of that. His background in dirt racing is an asset, and off the track we share many of the same interests, specifically, hunting and fishing. I know he’ll perform well at Michigan and I’m just as confident in his ability to properly represent Mobil 1 and Bass Pro Shops throughout the race weekend.” 

Additionally, Dillon carries sponsorship from Bass Pro Shops, which likely had a hand in his selection.

SHR has not determined who the interim driver of the No. 14 Chevrolet will be for the Sprint Cup Series’ following race Aug. 24 at Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway.

While no timetable has been established for Stewart’s return to the No. 14 Chevrolet, the three-time Sprint Cup champion was discharged from the hospital late Sunday afternoon.  

Stewart was leading the 30-lap American Sprint Car Series (ASCS) feature at Southern Iowa Speedway when a lapped car spun in front of him. Stewart hit the lapped car and flipped.