In-Season Challenge: Seeding update after Mexico City

The three races at Michigan International Speedway, Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez and Pocono Raceway determine the seeding for NASCAR’s In-Season Challenge. Seeding is based on a driver’s best finish in the three races. The first tiebreaker is the next-best finish in the three races, followed by the third-best finish in the three races. If there’s still a tie after that, then season-long points standings after Pocono will determine who gets the better seed for the challenge opener on June 28 at EchoPark Speedway (formerly Atlanta Motor Speedway).

RELATED: How the In-Season Challenge works | Hub page with bracket

We’ll track how the seeding is stacking up, from No. 1 to No. 32, after each of the three seeding races — and provide instant analysis. Here’s where we stand after the second seeding race at Mexico City:

Mexico City race winner: Shane van Gisbergen won the Cup Series’ inaugural race at Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez for his first victory of the season and the second in his career. He turned the playoff picture upside down and jumped to the lead in the Sunoco Rookie of the Year battle, but his win had no effect on the In-Season Challenge. SVG was 33rd in the standings after Nashville and therefore was not included among the 32 cars eligible to fight for the $1 million prize.

RELATED: Race results

Who’s in line for the top four seeds: Denny Hamlin remains on track for the top seed, despite missing the Mexico City race to stay home for the birth of his son. That’s because he’s the only driver with a win during the seeding races who is also eligible for the challenge. SVG’s win kept the trophy out of the hands of one of Hamlin’s competitors. … Chris Buescher stays as the No. 2 seed based on his second-place finish last week at Michigan and an 11th-place finish at Mexico City that gives him the tiebreaker over Christopher Bell. Buescher would be matched up against No. 31 seed Noah Gragson. … Bell’s second-place finish at Mexico City bumped Ty Gibbs down to the fourth seed, where he holds the tiebreaker over Chase Elliott thanks to his second-best finish of 11th being better than Elliott’s second-best finish of 16th. Bell would be in line to match up against No. 30 seed Ty Dillon while Gibbs would face No. 29 Todd Gilliland.

Most interesting matchup if the Challenge started today: No. 1 Denny Hamlin vs. No. 32 Carson Hocevar. After his win at Michigan, Hamlin made the bold statement that he thinks Hocevar has the talent to be in the top six drivers of the sport. Well, Hamlin is already in that elite group, so this matchup would be the perfect combination of future Hall of Famer versus young upstart. Plus, neither driver really likes to back down, so this matchup would likely have plenty of spice to it. Would be curious to know Ricky Stenhouse Jr.’s take on it.

Who’s Up

Alex Bowman, No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet: Bowman bounced back from being in the “Down” section last week after a hard wreck at Michigan left him with a 36th-place finish. He jumped from the 36th seed to seventh after a fourth-place finish at Mexico City, and he’d have a first-round matchup with Stenhouse Jr. if this holds to form. Bowman regained some of the road-course moxie he had in winning last year on the Chicago Street Course, and with Chicago as part of the In-Season Challenge, he could quickly become a factor for the $1 million prize should the momentum carry over.

Who’s Down

Kyle Busch, No. 8 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet: Busch entered Mexico City with high hopes after an eighth-place finish at Michigan and the speed he showed at Circuit of The Americas (fifth place) in the season’s first road-course race. However, all of that evaporated when Busch spun and ignited a multi-car wreck seven laps into the Viva Mexico 250 and did not finish. The last-place result knocked Busch from eighth to the 14th seed before Pocono. Busch would face Josh Berry in the first round if this spot holds.

Projected seeds entering Pocono: