NASCAR’s in-season tournament kicked off with a bang at the Quaker State 400 at EchoPark Speedway on June 28, but not the kind fans expected. A massive 23-car wreck in the first 100 laps turned the race, and the $1 million prize chase, into pure chaos. Heavyweights like 1-seed Denny Hamlin and 2-seed Chase Briscoe were knocked out cold, their tournament hopes crushed in a pile-up that spared no one.
This new tournament, modeled after March Madness, brings a single-elimination vibe to NASCAR’s mid-season grind. Drivers go head-to-head across races, with winners advancing and losers sent packing. It’s a fresh twist that’s got the garage buzzing, but Atlanta’s carnage, wiping out top seeds like Hamlin, Kyle Larson, and Joey Logano, has left brackets in tatters.
The first round saw underdogs like Dillon, Erik Jones, and Zane Smith move on, while big names like Kyle Busch and Christopher Bell bit the dust. Now, the second round’s set with matchups like Brad Keselowski vs. Dillon and Elliott vs. Nemechek, all headed to Chicago’s street course. But the early exits of so many stars have folks wondering if this tournament’s high-stakes setup needs a tweak to keep the excitement alive.
Insiders demand a second-chance Bracket
NASCAR insider Jeff Gluck didn’t mince words on X, “I really wish there was a second-chance bracket for the in-season tournament. Feels like so many brackets got busted that there’s not much to follow for a lot of people who wanted to play along.”
I really wish there was a second-chance bracket for the in-season tournament. Feels like so many brackets got busted that there’s not much to follow for a lot of people who wanted to play along.
— Jeff Gluck (@jeff_gluck) July 3, 2025
The 2025 In-Season Tournament, with its NCAA-style single-elimination bracket, was meant to spice up the season, pitting drivers in head-to-head battles across multiple races. Fans dove in, filling out brackets like it’s March Madness, picking favorites like Hamlin or Larson to go deep. Not just the drivers, the fans also had a shot at the $1 million jackpot, but even before they could take one step ahead, their planning and plotting out outdone by a Big One.
But Atlanta’s 23-car wreck flipped those predictions upside down, with upsets like Ty Dillon over Hamlin and Noah Gragson over Chase Briscoe leaving fans’ brackets in ruins. Gluck’s call for a second-chance bracket, common in basketball and fantasy sports, would let fans re-pick after early rounds, keeping them hooked even after early chaos.
The idea’s got legs because the tournament’s single-elimination format is brutal. One bad race, like Atlanta’s pile-up, can end a top driver’s run, and with it, fan engagement. When favorites like Hamlin, Busch, and Logano crash out in round one, folks who bet on them feel left with nothing to root for. A second-chance bracket could reset the game for the quarterfinals or semifinals, letting fans stay in the action as the stakes climb. It’s a nod to NASCAR’s unpredictable nature, crashes happen, underdogs rise, and a way to keep the tournament’s buzz alive through Chicago, Sonoma, Dover, and Indy.
Gluck’s point hits home because Atlanta’s chaos wasn’t just a race-ender; it was a bracket-killer. Fans poured energy into their picks, only to see top seeds vanish in a cloud of smoke. Offering a redo would mirror how fantasy sports keep players invested, ensuring the $1 million chase doesn’t fizzle out early. It’s about keeping the stands and screens packed with fans who still have skin in the game.
Denny Hamlin questions Superspeedway chaos
Denny Hamlin’s not thrilled about how the in-season tournament kicked off, and he’s got a bone to pick with NASCAR’s choice of Atlanta’s EchoPark Speedway. The Stage 2 wreck took out nearly every big name, Hamlin, Larson, Logano, and more, leaving just Chase Elliott as the lone race winner still in the $1 million hunt.
On his Actions Detrimental podcast, Hamlin argued that starting the tournament on a superspeedway. “This is the unpredictability of putting us on a speedway race. It’s why I’m so against it being in the playoffs. It’s why I’m so against it being the start of our bracket. They knocked out seven of the top eight guys in points. If you had to pick, if NASCAR is like, ‘How do we get people engaged?’ It’s probably not a good strategy to knock out all your top guys.”
Hamlin acknowledged motorsports can’t be scripted, but he questioned the strategy of opening with a track known for chaos. The 16 drivers still standing, Keselowski, Dillon, Elliott, Nemechek, Bowman, Wallace, and others, face off next in Chicago, with matchups like Ty Gibbs vs. A. J. Allmendinger and Tyler Reddick vs. Carson Hocevar.
From there, it’s Sonoma, Dover, and Indy for the survivors. Hamlin worries that without the sport’s biggest stars, the tournament risks losing its shine, especially when a random wreck can rewrite the script before the checkered flag.
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