Austin Dillon Hosts Charity Pickleball Tournament to Benefit Kansas City Children

Austin Dillon is no stranger to pickleball courts. The Daytona 500 champion won the inaugural Pit Road Pickleball tournament at Charlotte Motor Speedway in early 2024, and now the Richard Childress Racing driver is bringing that same competitive energy to the Kansas City area with a cause attached.

The Austin Dillon Charity Pickleball Tournament, benefiting Titan Community Outreach and Pit Stops for Hope, is set for Friday, April 17 at 6 p.m. CT at Chicken N Pickle's South Overland Park location at 901 W. 135th Street. Both organizations focus on supporting in-need children and community assistance programs. The tournament is timed to the NASCAR Cup Series race weekend at nearby Kansas Speedway, giving Dillon a way to put his race-week schedule to philanthropic use.

The format is a 16-team, two-person competition with a $5,000 grand prize on the line for the winning team. Alongside the on-court action, a silent auction will run throughout the evening. Dillon has spoken publicly about wanting to "share his love of pickleball" while raising funds for local causes, and the Kansas City event represents a direct extension of that commitment.

Former NFL wide receiver Gehrig Dieter, along with other sports personalities and NASCAR figures, are expected to take part. That roster of participants turns the bracket into something more than a charity exhibition: it creates a genuine sports crossover moment that should draw fans who wouldn't otherwise step onto a pickleball court.

The venue itself is significant. Chicken N Pickle, which combines indoor and outdoor pickleball courts with a full-service dining and entertainment experience, has established itself as a host for exactly this kind of community-anchored event. Its Overland Park location has become a regular site for charity tournaments and local fundraisers throughout the year.

For amateur tournament directors watching the charitable pickleball space, the Dillon event illustrates a replicable model: attach a high-profile name to a local cause, build in a competitive format with real stakes, add an auction component, and use an existing sports calendar to drive foot traffic. The $5,000 prize keeps the competition honest, but it's the two charities behind the bracket that give the night its purpose.