One weekend into the inaugural NASCAR Cup Series In-Season Challenge, and the bracket’s already busted. A stunning upset by Ty Dillon, a masterclass from Chase Elliott, and a wreck-filled night at EchoPark Speedway (formerly Atlanta Motor Speedway) set the tone for the $1 million showdown. With 16 drivers now advancing to Round 2 at the Chicago Street Course, what began as a calculated points battle has exploded into a high-stakes elimination sprint.
Let’s break down the key highlights from the first night of this head-to-head experiment, who’s still standing, and what matchups to watch as we head to Chicago.
Round 1 Recap: Chase Elliott Survives the Wrecks and Wins
Atlanta delivered a slugfest. With 10 cautions and 68 caution laps, survival became the name of the game. Chase Elliott, who hadn’t won since April 2024, finally broke through with a last-lap pass on Brad Keselowski. The crowd roared as Elliott took the checkered flag at his home track, earning his 20th career Cup win and punching his ticket to the Challenge’s Round 2.
Elliott’s decision to stay out during a late caution was a gamble — but one that paid off. Restarting second with fewer than 10 laps to go, he maintained his position and capitalized on Keselowski’s line choice with a decisive move on the inside.
That win also knocked Austin Dillon out of the Challenge and gave Elliott a much-needed jolt of momentum as the tournament intensifies.
Meet the Sweet 16: Who’s Still Alive for $1 Million
Out of 32 contenders, only 16 advance — and the names include a mix of top-tier talent, underdogs, and surprise survivors. Here’s who’s still standing:
Chase Elliott
Alex Bowman
Bubba Wallace
Brad Keselowski
Tyler Reddick
Carson Hocevar
Ty Dillon
The biggest shocker? Ty Dillon. The 32nd seed eliminated No. 1 seed Denny Hamlin after Hamlin got caught in a massive crash early in Stage 2. Dillon ran in the top 10 most of the night and qualified 14th — proving this wasn’t just a fluke.
Brad Keselowski also came out swinging, knocking off Kyle Busch in a thrilling finish to advance as the 17-seed.
Matchup to Watch: Alex Bowman vs. Bubba Wallace in the Windy City
All eyes will be on Alex Bowman vs. Bubba Wallace when the field rolls into Chicago. These two clashed late in last year’s Street Course debut, adding spice to an already tight matchup between the No. 8 and No. 9 seeds.
Bowman has the edge on road-course stats and is the defending Chicago winner. But Wallace is no pushover — he qualified well at both prior Chicago events and finished 13th in 2024. With $1 million on the line, expect aggression, strategy, and maybe even fireworks between two drivers with unfinished business.
Who’s Rising, Who’s at Risk
Trending Up: Tyler Reddick
The 23-seed upset Kyle Larson, clawing through a tough-handling car early to win Stage 2 and eventually place fourth overall. Reddick heads to Chicago as a road-course specialist with three prior Cup wins on such layouts — including a runner-up in last year’s Grant Park 165.
Trending Down: Carson Hocevar
Yes, he advanced — but don’t be fooled. Hocevar now faces Reddick, and the odds are steep. Despite a top-10 in Atlanta, his road-course record includes six finishes of 12th or worse in seven attempts. His lone bright spot was a third at Watkins Glen last year, but Chicago’s technical layout doesn’t play to his strengths.
Other matchups to watch include:
Chris Buescher vs. Zane Smith
Ryan Preece vs. Noah Gragson
Erik Jones vs. Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
Keselowski vs. Ty Dillon (can the Cinderella run continue?)
Bracket Breakdown: All 16 Matchups from Round 1
Here’s a snapshot of who advanced from each Round 1 head-to-head:
| Matchup | Result |
|---|---|
| Hamlin (1) vs. Dillon (32) | Dillon advances |
| Briscoe (2) vs. Gragson (31) | Gragson advances |
| Buescher (3) vs. Gilliland (30) | Buescher advances |
| Bell (4) vs. Stenhouse Jr. (29) | Stenhouse advances |
| Elliott (5) vs. Austin Dillon (28) | Elliott advances |
| Gibbs (6) vs. Haley (27) | Gibbs advances |
| Blaney (7) vs. Hocevar (26) | Hocevar advances |
| Bowman (8) vs. Logano (25) | Bowman advances |
| Wallace (9) vs. Suarez (24) | Wallace advances |
| Larson (10) vs. Reddick (23) | Reddick advances |
| McDowell (11) vs. Allmendinger (22) | Allmendinger advances |
| Nemechek (12) vs. Berry (21) | Nemechek advances |
| Chastain (13) vs. Erik Jones (20) | Jones advances |
| Zane Smith (14) vs. Cindric (19) | Smith advances |
| Preece (15) vs. Byron (18) | Preece advances |
| Kyle Busch (16) vs. Keselowski (17) | Keselowski advances |
As the series shifts to the tight, technical layout of the Chicago Street Course, the Challenge gets more unpredictable. With no second chances and a prize on the line bigger than most race purses, every corner will carry consequence.
Round 2 is set. The field is wild. The drama is building. And if Atlanta taught us anything, it’s this: seeds don’t matter — survival does.
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