NASCAR’s second annual In-Season Challenge begins this weekend at Sonoma Raceway, launching five consecutive weeks of head-to-head competition as 32 NASCAR Cup Series drivers battle through a bracket-style tournament for a $1 million prize.
The In-Season Challenge opens Sunday with the Toyota/Save Mart 350 at Sonoma Raceway (3:30 p.m. ET on TNT, truTV and HBO Max) and culminates July 26 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway (2 p.m. ET on TNT, truTV and HBO Max), where the final two remaining drivers will compete in the Champions Round to determine the 2026 In-Season Challenge champion.
Building on the success of its inaugural season, the In-Season Challenge adds another layer of intensity to NASCAR’s summer schedule by matching drivers against a single opponent each week. The higher-finishing driver in every matchup advances, cutting the field from 32 to 16, then eight, four and two before a champion is crowned.
The 32-driver field and tournament seeding were finalized based on NASCAR Cup Series points standings following Pocono. No. 1 seed Tyler Reddick enters the tournament as the top-ranked driver after winning five races and leading the regular-season championship battle through the first half of the season.
The five-race In-Season Challenge schedule includes a diverse mix of track types that will test every aspect of a driver’s skillset:
- Round 1 – Sonoma Raceway (June 28, 3:30 p.m. ET)
- Round 2 – Chicagoland Speedway (July 5, 6 p.m. ET)
- Round 3 – EchoPark Speedway (July 12, 7 p.m. ET)
- Round 4 – North Wilkesboro Speedway (July 19, 7 p.m. ET)
- Champions Round – Indianapolis Motor Speedway (July 26, 2 p.m. ET)
Fans can once again test their prediction skills through the NASCAR In-Season Bracket Challenge. Participants will earn points for correctly selecting matchup winners throughout the tournament, with prizes awarded to the top-performing brackets. Fans who successfully predict every matchup correctly will win $1 million.
Broadcast and Coverage
All five In-Season Challenge races will air exclusively across TNT Sports platforms, featuring NASCAR Hall of Famer Dale Earnhardt Jr., Daytona 500-winning crew chief Steve Letarte and veteran motorsports commentator Adam Alexander in the booth.
TNT Sports’ coverage will include:
- NASCAR Nation Pre-Race and Post-Race coverage hosted by Marty Smith with analysts Jimmie Johnson and Jamie McMurray.
- Pit road reporting from Shannon Spake, Danielle Trotta and Marty Snider.
- Up to 40 cameras per race and green-flag race coverage featuring two-box commercial breaks.
- Full practice and qualifying coverage available on truTV and HBO Max.
Enhanced HBO Max Experience
HBO Max will once again provide fans with multiple ways to experience the action, including:
- Driver Cam, offering synchronized onboard camera feeds for every driver with team radio communications.
- Multiview viewing options featuring driver-specific feeds and fan-selected cameras.
- Enhanced in-car audio options that isolate driver radio communications.
- New Race Alerts that allow viewers to instantly jump between key moments and camera angles.
- Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos support on compatible devices.
Expanded B/R Racing Social Content
- Dale Drives: Dale Earnhardt, Jr. returns to Dale Drives this summer with another slate of celebrities taking a high-speed lap around the track with the racing legend.
- Episode One: Sonny Styles
- Raceday Correspondents: Mic’d up celebrities at key races throughout the In-Season Challenge, with coverage available in the B/R app and on YouTube. Confirmed correspondents include:
- Mac Jones at Sonoma Raceway on June 28
- Dion Dawkins at Chicagoland Speedway on July 5
- Onsite Track Content with Mamba Smith: B/R Racing will capture social content with Mamba on the ground at every In-Season Challenge race, including pre-race and post-race driver interviews, grid walks and pit road moments.
Additional fan engagement opportunities include:
- NASCAR’s $1 Million Perfect Bracket Challenge.
- Weekly matchup analysis and tournament coverage across NASCAR digital platforms.
- New betting markets from NASCAR’s authorized gaming operators, including head-to-head matchups, round advancement and tournament winner odds.
NASCAR Digital Coverage
NASCAR.com and the NASCAR Mobile App will once again serve as the central hub for all In-Season Challenge content, including:
- Interactive bracket updates and tournament tracking.
- Head-to-head matchup statistics and insights.
- Live leaderboard scoring throughout each race.
- Weekly bracket analysis and predictions from NASCAR talent and industry experts.
- Exclusive editorial content, videos and social media coverage throughout the tournament.
For complete In-Season Challenge information, including the latest bracket, driver matchups, schedule and scoring updates, visit NASCAR.com/InSeasonChallenge.
— NASCAR —