The NASCAR Cup Series race at Pocono Raceway is over after Denny Hamlin captured his 64th career win. Now, the bracket is set for the start of the In-Season Challenge.
Videos by FanBuzz
Regular-season points leader Tyler Reddick will enter the tournament as the No. 1 seed. Hamlin, now only 19 points back, will enter as the second seed. Alex Bowman (32nd in points) and Ty Dillon (31st in points) will make up the last two seeds on the bracket.
This tournament that pays $1 million to the winner will shake out over five weeks, starting with Sonoma Raceway on June 28. NASCAR kept San Diego off of the tournament schedule so that the historic event could stand on its own.
Thirty-two drivers will make up the bracket. Sixteen will advance after Sonoma, eight will advance after Chicagoland, four will advance after Atlanta, and two will advance after North Wilkesboro. These finalists will then race for $1 million at Indianapolis.
Ty Gibbs won the $1 million prize and the championship belt last season after he and Ty Dillon reached the finals. These two drivers will both seek to return to the final round as they take on a new slate of tracks this season.
2026 In-Season Challenge Bracket Matchups (Subject to Change)
- No. 1 Tyler Reddick vs No. 32 Alex Bowman
- No. 2 Denny Hamlin vs No. 31 Ty Dillon
- No. 3. Ryan Blaney vs. No. 30 Josh Berry
- No. 4 Chase Elliott vs No. 29 Noah Gragson
- No. 5 Ty Gibbs vs No. 28 Austin Dillon
- No. 6 Kyle Larson vs No. 27 Riley Herbst
- No. 7 Chris Buescher vs No. 26 John Hunter Nemechek
- No. 8 Daniel Suárez vs No. 25 Todd Gilliland
- No. 9 Carson Hocevar vs No. 24 Zane Smith
- No. 10 Christopher Bell vs No. 23 Ross Chastain
- No. 11 William Byron vs No. 22 Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
- No. 12 Chase Briscoe vs No. 21 AJ Allmendinger
- No. 13 Bubba Wallace vs No. 20 Michael McDowell
- No. 14 Shane van Gisbergen vs No. 19 Ryan Preece
- No. 15 Erik Jones vs No. 18 Joey Logano
- No. 16 Austin Cindric vs No. 17 Brad Keselowski
