Chase Elliott, a prominent driver for Hendrick Motorsports, recently revealed that he had not been closely following NASCAR’s new $1 million in-season tournament. The news of the seven-figure prize came as a surprise to him during a press conference held at the Pocono Raceway weekend. Despite initially being unaware, Elliott expressed interest in winning the substantial cash reward.
The Structure and Timing of NASCAR’s In-Season Tournament
Introduced in 2025, NASCAR’s in-season tournament involves 32 drivers competing head-to-head in a bracket-style format during a five-race series televised on TNT. The drivers are seeded based on their finishing positions in a preliminary three-race segment aired on Amazon Prime, which concludes at Pocono Raceway. This innovative structure aims to increase competition and excitement mid-season by offering a large financial incentive to the tournament winner.
Drivers’ Varied Responses to the Million-Dollar Prize
Despite the significant monetary prize, some drivers remain indifferent toward the tournament. Bubba Wallace from 23XI Racing stated that his primary focus is on maintaining strong finishes to secure a playoff spot, rather than the tournament payout. Conversely, his team owner Denny Hamlin has shown an active interest in the tournament, leading the current seeding after winning at Michigan.
The tournament has already seen some drivers, such as Mexico City winner Shane van Gisbergen, fail to qualify by not ranking in the top 32 for the seeding phase. Elliott holds the fifth position in the standings after finishing third in the Mexico race. The final driver seedings, which will determine the tournament bracket, will be decided after the race at Pocono. The tournament officially kicks off at Atlanta Motor Speedway on June 28 and concludes at the Brickyard on July 27.
Chase Elliott Assesses His Qualifying Challenges in the 2025 Season
Elliott compared his qualifying performances this season with those of his Hendrick Motorsports teammates William Byron and Kyle Larson, pointing out that he has fallen behind, especially in Saturday qualifying sessions. This shortfall affects his weekend races because starting mid-pack leads to less favorable pit stalls and more challenging car handling, especially with the Next Gen racecar’s sensitivity to traffic.
In the first 16 rounds, Elliott’s average starting position is 15.4, whereas Byron averages 9.3 and Larson 11.5. The 2020 series champion emphasized the importance of qualifying, expressing the difficulty he has had in this area. He stated:
“There’s a lot of things that go into that, but I think probably the biggest one is qualifying. I think qualifying is so important. (It’s) an area that I’ve struggled in, no doubt.”
“Being up front, having a really good pit stall, keeping yourself up there – it can change the complexion of your day in such a large way nowadays.”
Current Standings and Upcoming Challenges for Chase Elliott
With ten races remaining in the regular season, Elliott stands fourth in the overall points standings but trails the current leader, William Byron, by 104 points. Despite this position, Elliott has yet to secure a win or accumulate playoff points this season, putting additional pressure on his upcoming performances. His ability to improve qualifying results and leverage the upcoming in-season tournament could play a crucial role in shaping his postseason prospects.