by LONG POND, Pa. (AP) — Next week in Atlanta, NASCAR will begin its first-ever In-season Challenge, a five-race, bracket-style competition, with Denny Hamlin as the top seed.
TNT is a party to a new media rights agreement that includes the competition, which has a $1 million prize for the winner.
The results of the races in Michigan, Mexico City, and Pocono determined the final 32-driver field.To complete the field, Chase Briscoe won the Cup race on Sunday at Pocono Raceway.
Using a bracket system similar to the NCAA basketball tournaments, the drivers will be paired in head-to-head matches according to seeding, with the victors moving on to the next round.
The 32nd-seeded Ty Dillon will face Hamlin the following week. Briscoe secured the second seed, followed by Chase Elliott in fifth place, Christopher Bell in fourth, and Chris Buescher in third.
The field is reduced to 16 in Chicago, eight at Sonoma, four at Dover, and the final two at Indianapolis Motor Speedway under the single elimination format.
The competition is modeled after in-season competitions held by international soccer leagues and even introduced to the NBA.
