Austin Dillon
A third-generation NASCAR champion who revived his grandfather's iconic number 3 car and won the Daytona 500, cementing his family's racing dynasty.
Born 1990 (age 36)·American racing driver·Birthday: April 27·Millennials
Biography
Austin Dillon didn't just enter NASCAR; he was born into its inner sanctum. The grandson of team owner Richard Childress, he grew up at the track, but his path to the Cup Series was a deliberate apprenticeship. He first proved his mettle in trucks and the Xfinity Series, capturing championships and silencing whispers of mere nepotism. His 2014 promotion to the premier Cup Series carried immense symbolic weight: he was tasked with piloting the legendary No. 3 Chevrolet, a number made famous by Dale Earnhardt and retired for over a decade after the Intimidator's death. Dillon didn't just drive the number; he restored it to victory lane. His 2017 Coca-Cola 600 win was a emotional milestone, but his 2018 Daytona 500 victory was a career-defining triumph, earning him the sport's biggest prize in that iconic digit. As a consistent playoff contender, Dillon embodies both the legacy of his family's team and the modern, business-savvy face of stock car racing.
Millennials
1981–1996
The first digital natives. Grew up with the internet, came of age during 9/11 and the 2008 crash. Highly educated, deeply indebted, slower to marry and buy houses. Redefined work, identity, and what it means to be an adult.
Austin was born in 1990, placing them squarely in the Millennials. The events that shaped this generation — the internet revolution, 9/11, and the 2008 financial crisis — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Austin Was Born
The biggest hits of 1990
#1 Movie
Home Alone
Best Picture
Dances with Wolves
#1 TV Show
Roseanne
Austin's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1990Born
Hubble Space Telescope launched; Germany reunifies
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.80/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Hold On" — Wilson PhillipsBest Picture: Dances with Wolves
1995Started school
Oklahoma City bombing; Windows 95 released
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $96,500Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Gangsta's Paradise" — CoolioBest Picture: Braveheart
2003Became a teenager
US invades Iraq; Human Genome Project completed
Gas: $1.59/galHome: $146,000Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"In Da Club" — 50 CentBest Picture: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
2006Could drive
Twitter launches; Pluto reclassified as dwarf planet
Gas: $2.59/galHome: $174,700Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Bad Day" — Daniel PowterBest Picture: The Departed
2008Could vote
Barack Obama elected first Black US president; financial crisis
Gas: $3.27/galHome: $153,100Min wage: $6.55/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Low" — Flo RidaBest Picture: Slumdog Millionaire
2011Turned 21
Osama bin Laden killed; Arab Spring sweeps the Middle East
Gas: $3.53/galHome: $138,400Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Rolling in the Deep" — AdeleBest Picture: The Artist
2020Turned 30
COVID-19 pandemic shuts down the world
Gas: $2.17/galHome: $248,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Blinding Lights" — The WeekndBest Picture: Nomadland
2026Age 36 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Won the 2018 Daytona 500, NASCAR's most prestigious race, driving the historic No. 3 car.
- Captured the NASCAR Xfinity Series championship in 2013 and the NASCAR Truck Series championship in 2011.
- Earned the 2022 All-Star Race victory at Texas Motor Speedway, winning a million-dollar prize.
- Became the third driver to win a NASCAR Cup Series race in the No. 3 car after Dale Earnhardt and Ricky Rudd.
Did You Know?
He won the 2011 Truck Series championship with a black No. 3 truck nicknamed 'The Hornady Bullet.'
Dillon is an avid hunter and outdoorsman, frequently featuring his pursuits on social media.
He played college baseball as a pitcher at High Point University before focusing fully on racing.
His signature victory celebration is a celebratory bow, which he calls 'The Dillon Bow.'
““Driving the 3 car is an honor and a privilege, and there’s a lot of responsibility that comes with it.””
