In-Season Challenge: Latest Seeding Update After Mexico City Race

NASCAR fans can expect a fresh twist this summer as the series introduces its new 32-driver in-season tournament. The tournament uses points standings to select participants, kicking off June 28 at EchoPark Speedway and ending with the championship race at the Brickyard 400 on July 27.

By adding this knockout event, NASCAR is hoping to dial up excitement across the season with a $1 million prize on the line. Drivers earn their spots and seeds in the tournament through three key races: Michigan International Speedway, Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez in Mexico City, and Pocono Raceway.

A driver’s best finish across these three events decides their seeding, with tiebreakers determined first by their next-best finish, then third-best finish, and then overall points if a tie remains after Pocono. This format gives every race a higher stake and creates fresh drama around each weekend.

After the Mexico City race, the seeds have begun to take shape. Denny Hamlin holds the top spot thanks to his win at Michigan.

He missed the Mexico City race due to the birth of his son but stays ahead since his only eligible rival, Shane van Gisbergen, is not qualified for the tournament. Chris Buescher follows as the number two seed, with a strong second-place at Michigan and 11th-place at Mexico City, giving him the edge over Christopher Bell.

Bell, who took second at Mexico City, is just behind. Ty Gibbs and Chase Elliott round out the top five seeds, each grabbing a third-place finish in one of the seeding races.

Some notable moves followed the Mexico City round. Alex Bowman climbed from outside the qualified group up to seventh after his fourth-place finish in Mexico.

He had crashed hard at Michigan a week earlier but rebounded on the tricky road course, lining up now for a possible matchup with Ricky Stenhouse Jr. if the pairings hold. Kyle Busch’s hopes slipped in the standings after a spin resulted in a last-place finish in Mexico, knocking him from eighth down to 14th seed.

He now faces tougher competition as the tournament approaches. If the bracket started today, Denny Hamlin would be matched with the 32nd seed, Carson Hocevar.

This pairing is especially interesting because Hamlin once called Hocevar a driver with the potential to be in the sport’s elite top six. Their contrast of experience and raw youth could create a thrilling contest to open the tournament.

Other first-round battles would include Kyle Larson versus Austin Dillon, and William Byron against Brad Keselowski. The first round will be held at EchoPark Speedway in Atlanta, setting the stage for the field to shrink week by week.

Following that, drivers who advance will race in Chicago, Sonoma, and Dover, before the championship is decided in Indianapolis on July 27. TNT will air all tournament races, ensuring fans can watch each round and follow the progress as a new format brings added excitement to the NASCAR schedule.

The new in-season challenge is already shaping the playoff outlook and offers plenty to watch as the summer heats up, much like the thrilling shifts seen in the Monaco event in Formula 1.