A bracket race unlike any other
The NASCAR In‑Season Challenge is set to culminate at Sonoma Raceway, where a five‑race, bracket‑style tournament will award a $1 million prize to the ultimate winner.
Sixteen drivers will be paired off in head‑to‑head matchups, with the higher‑finishing competitor advancing after each round until a single champion emerges.
Ty Dillon, currently 31st in the season standings and fresh off a surprise run to the final last year, will meet veteran Denny Hamlin, who already boasts four victories and is the odds‑on favorite.
Other first‑round pairings include Brad Keselowski versus Austin Cindric, Carson Hocevar up against Zane Smith, and Ryan Blaney taking on Josh Berry, adding further intrigue to the field.
AJ Allmendinger is slated to make his 500th Cup start at Sonoma, while Shane van Gisbergen enters as the race favorite, hoping to translate his road‑course pedigree into a victory.
The series has noted that the decisive pass for the win has come in the final ten laps of the past two Sonoma events, suggesting a dramatic finish may be on the horizon.
What’s at stake
Beyond the monetary reward, the tournament offers drivers a chance to reset playoff positioning and showcase performance under pressure, factors that could shape the remainder of the season.
Fans can expect a compact, high‑stakes spectacle that blends traditional oval action with the road‑course challenges of Northern California’s wine country.