Early Upsets Redefine the Bracket
The NASCAR In‑Season Challenge has entered its opening stage with a surprising twist: the driver who entered the bracket as the top seed has been eliminated in the first round for the second consecutive year.
Todd Gilliland, seeded No. 25, and Michael McDowell, seeded No. 20, pulled off upsets that carried them into the next round, joining a handful of other unexpected advances.
The competition will reconvene on July 5 at the Chicagoland Speedway, where the remaining matchups will be decided before the tournament travels to Indianapolis, where it will run through July 26.
A year earlier, Ty Dillon upset top‑seeded Denny Hamlin at Atlanta, illustrating a pattern of lower‑seeded drivers breaking through.
On June 28, Alex Bowman, the bottom seed, edged Tyler Reddick in a close battle at Sonoma, adding another layer of unpredictability to the field.
While the bracket began on a road course this season, last year’s edition opened at a superspeedway, underscoring the variety of venues that shape the challenge.
Series officials have released the full results and updated matchups, giving fans a clear view of what lies ahead.