The field is finally set. After taking into account the results at Michigan, Mexico City, and Pocono Raceway, NASCAR has decided the 32-driver head-to-head matchups based on seeding. The format is very similar to the NCAA basketball tournaments, with winners advancing into the next round in a bracket format. The stakes are high. After all, there are bragging rights and $1 million is on the line. That means drivers will be fighting for more than just points and playoff spots in the next five races.
While drivers are taking it all in stride, it appears that NASCAR and TNT are hoping fans will embrace the in-season tournament. Perhaps start an office or family pool and put money on their favorite driver advancing to the next round. But will it succeed despite the limited promotion? Only time will tell.
NASCAR’s first-round matchups are now set
“I’m excited about it,” said reigning champ Joey Logano, sharing his thoughts about the in-season Tournament. Having narrowly missed out on winning the All-Star race, the Team Penske driver wants to make up for the million lost at North Wilkesboro Speedway. This new initiative gives drivers another reason to fight for on the track, apart from those coveted playoff spots, with the last two survivors going head-to-head at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on July 27th.
After winning in Michigan and finishing second at Pocono Raceway, Denny Hamlin is the top seed and will take on the 32nd seed, Ty Dillon, at Atlanta Motor Speedway. The winner of that clash will take on either Kyle Busch or Brad Keselowski in Round 2. Chase Briscoe is seeded second, followed by Chris Buescher, Christopher Bell, and Chase Elliott. The field will be reduced to 16 in Chicago, eight at Sonoma Raceway, four at Dover, and two at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
And even though the 1 to 32 seeds were determined by their best finishes at Michigan, Mexico City, and Pocono, there was also a complication. Shane van Gisbergen didn’t qualify for the tournament despite winning south of the border. All because he was outside the top 32 when the field was set after the Nashville race. Talk about a complicated format, right? And while this initiative is meant for drivers as much as fans, Ross Chastain made it clear that, “it’s not going to change your race.”
And here is the in-season tournament bracket as shown on Prime Video: pic.twitter.com/gbXyOYwwNT
— Kelly Crandall (@KellyCrandall) June 23, 2025
It’s very unlikely that crew chiefs will be altering their race strategy depending on the opponents their drivers are going against. The objective will be the same: try to win the race or finish as high as possible. While the in-season tournament will give drivers a greater incentive to push their limits, it won’t be at the top of their minds going into a weekend. But even though a team like Hendrick Motorsports has its priorities clear, William Byron also clarified that “A million dollars is no joke,” highlighting just what’s on the line in the next five races.
Here’s what drivers are saying about the tournament
As you’d probably expect, the drivers have a mixed reaction to NASCAR’s latest initiative. Ever since the in-season tournament was first announced in May 2024, it has flown under the radar with no real promotions in sight. Kyle Larson even admitted, “I just really haven’t seen anything promoted about it, so I think it’s easy to forget about it.” But now that the knockout bracket is finally set, the garage is paying attention to what’s at stake once again.
RFK Racing’s Chris Buescher, who is seeded third made it clear that the tournament is for the fans, saying, “I think it is something for our fans to be able to dive off into and have some friendly wagers, and keep an eye on it and tell us who we’re up against.” Trackhouse’s Ross Chastain was also adamant that the next five races won’t change the No. 1 team’s approach, as he said, “I firmly believe that our race weekend isn’t going to change based on this.”
As for William Byron, the Hendrick Motorsports driver made it clear that his eyes were on the prize, saying, “I think you’re going to do the best you can to win it.” While teams might not prioritize the in-season tournament at Atlanta or even in Chicago, if drivers find themselves in the mix at Sonoma Raceway or Dover, they might give it a real shot. After all, a million dollars is a big incentive, and let’s not forget the bragging rights that come with it. At least now they know who they’re up against, even if it’s just for the next weekend.
The post Amazon Prime Reveals the $1,000,000 Knockout Bracket for the Coveted In-Season Tournament appeared first on EssentiallySports.
