Austin Dillon, driver of the #33 Rheem Chevrolet, and Ty Dillon, driver of the #3 Bass Pro Shops Chevrolet, walk on the grid before the NASCAR XFINITY Series Winn Dixie 300 at Talladega Superspeedway on May 2, 2015 Photo – Brian Lawdermilk/Getty Images

From Donnie and Bobby Allison, to Kurt and Kyle Busch, and several in between, the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series has become accustom to seeing brothers compete and compete well. The Dillon brothers are yet another brother duo now competing across NASCAR’s top-three national series.

Coming off  an 18th-place finish at Pocono this past weekend and again stepping into a Sprint Cup Series car Sunday at Michigan International Speedway this weekend, questions are already swirling around what Ty Dillon’s plans will be for the 2016 season.

Compared to his older brother Austin, who is already part of Richard Childress Racing’s three car stable in the Sprint Cup Series, it has been a wonder trying to figure where Ty will fit into the organization within the next couple of years.

In a nascar.com interview, Ty gave some insight as to his plan for the future.

“The plan is to be with be RCR,” Dillon said. “And that’s definitely what I want to do and my grandfather (Richard Childress Racing team owner Richard Childress) so we’re working 100 percent. There might be options later down the road, but right now we’re 100 percent focused on getting sponsorship for full-time for RCR.”

Expanding on his insight, in his nascar.com interview, Ty went on to say…

“We had talks, actually starting last year that going into this year we were going to start searching for an opportunity for me to run full-time in the Sprint Cup Series, like my brother (Austin) after his second year in the XFINITY Series. But it’s a slow process. We’re doing a lot of different things and working with a lot of different people. It’s not really our main focus. It’s kind of on the back burner at this point.

“But if we could get something nailed down early, it would only help our effort for next year. But right now, my main focus as a driver is getting experience.”

That brings me to the question…is Ty Dillon ready for a full-time ride in the Sprint Cup Series?

Personally, I say yes, given the right circumstances.

I do favor Ty’s driving style and demeanor, more so than I did Austin’s when he was running full-time in the NASCAR XFINITY Series. I’m referring to when Austin was running full-time in the XFINITY Series back in the 2012 and 2013.seasons, Now Austin has been on a tear in the XFINITY Series, but brings with him a year of NASCAR Sprint Cup Series experience.

Nevertheless, I feel both drivers are adequate talents for competing in the Sprint Cup Series, and although they are very close as brothers, they have different driving styles. Personally, I see Austin as more of a passive driver who is more consistent and Ty as a guy who has more of a killer instinct going after the win.

Again both drivers are adequate talents, but in terms of comparing Ty’s career to Austin’s; when Austin was on the verge of entering the Sprint Cup Series, like Ty is now, I think they’re pretty similar. Ty doesn’t have the championships, but was second in the Camping World Truck Series standings in 2013, and is now second in the 2015  XFINITY Series point standings.

In my opinion, Ty deserves a Sprint Cup Series ride, but not just any ride.

The primary three Sprint Cup cars at RCR have struggled this season and stretching the team resources to a fourth car would hinder the overall success of that organization. It really is a tough situation; but I feel  a few situations could play out over the next year or two.

First Scenario

Adding Ty to the lineup in 2016 as a fourth car at RCR, running for Rookie of the Year honors. The organization could part ways with either Ryan Newman or Paul Menard after the 2016 season, as it is a contract year for both drivers. Then they return to a three car organization with the Dillon brothers and either Newman or Menard. If the team decides to not part with Newman or Menard, then they would obviously remain a four car organization.

Second Scenario

Ty runs another season in the XFINITY Series and runs more races in the Sprint Cup Series either in the Circle Sport Racing No. 33 owned by Joe Falk, or in a fourth RCR car much like Hendrick Motorsports is doing with Chase Elliott this season. He then takes over for Newman or Menard in the 2017 season.

Third Scenario

Ty runs for an RCR satellite team either in a rumored second car at Furniture Row Racing, or takes Martin Truex Jr’s seat if Truex decides to take an offer from a big name team; like Kurt Busch did at the start the 2014 season. 2015 is a contract year for Truex and personally I see him staying with Furniture Row Racing. But if an offer comes from a big name team that Truex cannot refuse, anything is possible. Also 2015 is a contract season for Casey Mears at Germain Racing. Who knows, maybe Ty ends up there for a year. I’d only see this scenario playing out for the 2016 season and feel it’s a very farfetched scenario; but thought I’d throw it out as a possibility.

Whatever happens, I feel when Ty does enter the Sprint Cup Series, he deserves an opportunity in a competitive car. In my opinion, teams that stretch their organizations, when they don’t have the resources to do so, hurt their overall performance. I feel this kid deserves a shot in a Sprint Cup car equal to his brother Austin. And personally, I wouldn’t mind seeing Ty stay in the XFINITY Series another year if that means he’ll get a competitive car in 2017. There is no doubt in my mind about Ty’s talent, and it is fairest to him and his talent that he gets a suitable ride. I expect big results out of Ty, not only in his Sprint Cup career, but the rest of this season as he is in serious contention for the XFINITY Series title.

Again, whatever happens in the future, expect big results from Ty Dillon.