The NASCAR In-Season Challenge begins this year with the Cup Series creating a new event during the regular season to add more competition. With a $1 million prize at stake for 32 drivers, NASCAR is hopeful that the head-to-head matchups among drivers for the best finish in three races will create more intrigue this summer.
Let’s dive into the NASCAR In-Season Challenge seedings right now, followed by what the bracket would look like for the In-Season Challenge itself.
NASCAR In-Season Challenge seedings
Here are the current seedings for the In-Season Challenge following the FireCrackers Casino 400 at Michigan.
Related: Denny Hamlin reveals how In-Season Challenge could impact race strategy
| Seed | Driver – Best Finish |
|---|---|
| 1 | Denny Hamlin (1) |
| 2 | Chris Buescher (2) |
| 3 | Ty Gibbs (3) |
| 4 | Bubba Wallace (4) |
| 5 | Kyle Larson (5) |
| 6 | Ross Chastain (6) |
| 7 | Zane Smith (7) |
| 8 | Kyle Busch (8) |
| 9 | Ryan Preece (9) |
| 10 | Brad Keselowski (10) |
| 11 | Erik Jones (11) |
| 12 | Josh Berry (12) |
| 13 | Tyler Reddick (13) |
| 14 | Daniel Suárez (14) |
| 15 | Chase Elliott (15) |
| 16 | Christopher Bell (16) |
| 17 | AJ Allmendinger (17) |
| 18 | Austin Dillon (19) |
| 19 | Ricky Stenhouse Jr (20) |
| 20 | Justin Haley (21) |
| 21 | Joey Logano (22) |
| 22 | Chase Briscoe (23) |
| 23 | Ty Dillon (24) |
| 24 | Noah Gragson (27) |
| 25 | William Byron (28) |
| 26 | Carson Hocevar (29) |
| 27 | Michael McDowell (30) |
| 28 | Austin Cindric (31) |
| 29 | Ryan Blaney (32) |
| 30 | Todd Gilliland (33) |
| 31 | John Hunter Nemechek (34) |
| 32 | Alex Bowman (35) |
Also Read: Why there could be more NASCAR races on Amazon Prime Video in the future
NASCAR In-Season Challenge bracket matchups
Here’s what the In-Season Challenge matchups would be right now.
- (No. 1 ) Denny Hamlin vs (No. 32) Alex Bowman
- (No. 2) Chris Buescher vs (No. 31) John Hunter Nemechek
- (No. 3) Ty Gibbs vs (No. 30) Todd Gilliland
- (No. 4) Bubba Wallace vs (No. 29) Ryan Blaney
- (No. 5) Kyle Larson vs (No. 28) Austin Cindric
- (No. 6) Ross Chastain vs (No. 27) Michael McDowell
- (No. 7) Zane Smith vs (No. 26) Carson Hocevar
- (No. 8) Kyle Busch vs (No. 25) William Byron
- (No. 9) Ryan Preece vs (No. 24) Noah Gragson
- (No. 10) Brad Keselowski vs (No. 23) Ty Dillon
- (No. 11) Erik Jones vs (No. 22) Chase Briscoe
- (No. 12) Josh Berry vs (No. 21) Joey Logano
- (No. 13) Tyler Reddick vs (No. 20) Justin Haley
- (No. 14) Daniel Suarez vs (No. 19) Ricky Stenhouse Jr
- (No. 15) Chase Elliott vs (No. 18) Austin Dillon
- (No. 16) Christopher Bell vs (No. 17) AJ Allmendinger
Related: NASCAR standings for Cup Series, Xfinity Series and Truck Series
NASCAR In-Season Challenge FAQ
When does the In-Season Challenge Start?
NASCAR’s In-Season Challenge begins on Sunday, June 28 with the Quaker State 400 from EchoPark Speedway in Atlanta, Georgia, for the first round of the tournament. The second round of the tournament (16 drivers) is on Sunday, July 6, with the Chicago Street Race. The third round of the In-Season Challenge (8 drivers) is on Sunday, July 13, from Sonoma Raceway with the Save Mart 350. The fourth round (4 drivers) is on Sunday, July 20, from Dover Motor Speedway. The In-Season Challenge championship is on Sunday, July 27, at the Brickyard 400 from Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
- Round 1 (32 drivers): Quaker State 400 – Echopark Speedway – Atlanta, Georgia – 7:00 PM ET
- Round 2 (16 drivers): Grant Park 165 – Chicago Street Race – Chicago, Illinois – 2:00 PM ET
- Round 3 (8 drivers): Save Mart 350 – Sonoma Raceway – Sonoma, California – 3:30 PM ET
- Round 4 (4 drivers): EchoPark Automotive 400 – Dover Motor Speedway – Dover, Delaware – 2:00 PM ET
- Championship (2 driver) – Brickyard 400 – Indianapolis Motor Speedway – Indianapolis, Indiana – 2 PM
Related: Insider casts doubt on future of the Chicago Street Race
What races determine the seeding for the In-Season Challenge?
The seedings for the In-Season Tournament Challenge in the NASCAR Cup Series are determined by the FireKeepers Casino 400 (Michigan International Speedway), the Viva Mexico 250 (Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez) and The Great American Getaway 400 (Pocono Raceway).
Related: NASCAR schedule for Cup Series, Xfinity Series and Truck Series
What drivers are in the NASCAR In-Season Challenge?
The field of 32 drivers for the In-Season Challenge consists of William Byron, Kyle Larson, Christopher Bell, Denny Hamlin, Chase Elliott, Tyler Reddick, Ryan Blaney, Joey Logano, Ross Chastain, Bubba Wallace, Chase Briscoe, Alex Bowman, Austin Cindric, Chris Buescher, Kyle Busch, Ryan Preece, Carson Hocevar, Ricky Stenhouse Jr., AJ Allmendinger, Josh Berry, Michael McDowell, John Hunter Nemechek, Todd Gilliland, Erik Jones, Zane Smith, Austin Dillon, Ty Gibbs, Daniel Suarez, Justin Haley, Ty Dillon, Noah Gragson and Brad Keselowski, per NASCAR.com.
Related: NASCAR free agents after the season
How is the In-Season Challenge bracket seeded?
The seedings for the 32-team tournament are determined by the drivers’ best finishes in three races – Michigan, Autodromo and Pocono – with tiebreakers determined by the drivers’ second-best finish in the three races. The final tiebreaker is where drivers rank among the Cup Series points leaders.
What is the prize for winning the In-Season Challenge?
The prize for winning NASCAR’s In-Season Challenge is $1 million, awarded to the team and driver who advance through the entire bracket and beat their championship opponent at the Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Sunday, July 27.