The lineup for NASCAR’s In-Season Challenge was finalized following the Cup Series race at Nashville, with the top 32 drivers on the points standings set to compete over the next five races for a $1 million prize. Among these contenders is Denny Hamlin, who currently holds fourth place, yet he expressed reservations about the event due to its track selection.
Hamlin shared his thoughts at Nashville, saying,
“I was really excited until I saw the tracks on it. You got a superspeedway, you got road courses in there. To be truthful, we are going to have to get pretty lucky. Or have such a good draw that things just work out. I wish it held more conventional ovals but it’s just the way the schedule works out.”
—Denny Hamlin, NASCAR Driver
He further acknowledged that the races comprising the challenge do not fall within what he considers the best part of the season for his performance. The event’s tracks include Atlanta Motor Speedway, Chicago Street Course, Sonoma Raceway, Dover Motor Speedway, and Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Seeding for the challenge brackets will be determined based on results from three races occurring prior: Michigan International Speedway, Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez in Mexico, and Pocono Raceway.
The structure of the challenge involves head-to-head matchups where the driver finishing ahead advances to the subsequent round. This elimination continues until only two drivers remain at the Brickyard for the finale, determining the ultimate winner of the competition.
Perspectives from Brad Keselowski on the Competition
Brad Keselowski, co-owner of RFK Racing and the current 32nd driver in the points standings, barely qualified for the challenge’s field. Prior to finishing 23rd at Nashville, Keselowski indicated he had not focused much on the upcoming contest, staying concentrated on the immediate race weekend. Nonetheless, he acknowledged the challenge’s potential benefits for NASCAR and its audience.
He remarked,
“It will be fun to talk about when it gets going. It’s good for the sport, good for our fans. It’s a competition and if it is a competition, we want to win it. With that said, our heads are down and focused on one week at a time, really one day at a time, and that is Nashville and it is hard to look further ahead than that.”
—Brad Keselowski, RFK Racing Co-owner and NASCAR Driver
Keselowski’s recent record shows only one victory since 2022 and a single top-10 finish in 2025, making the aspiration to win the In-Season Challenge a challenging goal amidst his current performance trajectory.
Structure and Implications of the In-Season Challenge
The In-Season Challenge represents an intensified phase within the NASCAR schedule, combining a variety of track types including superspeedways, road courses, and ovals. The mixture of circuits demands versatility from the drivers and strategic preparation from the teams. However, as noted by Hamlin, the inclusion of road courses and the timing of the events during the season create uncertainties about which drivers will excel.
This tournament-style competition offers $1 million in prize money as an additional incentive for drivers to maintain high performance throughout these mid-season races. The head-to-head elimination format adds unpredictability, as progression depends not only on raw speed but also on winning direct matchups. The challenge is designed to engage fans and increase competitive tension within the Cup Series calendar.
Given these factors, the In-Season Challenge could influence team strategies and driver focus in the pivotal portion of the NASCAR season, potentially altering momentum for those who advance and highlighting the importance of consistent performance on diverse tracks.