With the first of five races down in the inaugural In-Season Challenge, 16 drivers now advance to Round 2 at the Chicago Street Course and continue the head-to-head frenzy for $1 million. Atlanta delivered early upsets and bracket-busting drama, proving no seed is safe. With elimination on the line each week, the pressure only intensifies from here.
Here’s where we stand after Challenge Round 1 at EchoPark Speedway:
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EchoPark race winner: Sound the si-reen! Chase Elliott won at his home track with an epic last-lap pass around Brad Keselowski. Ultimately, the decision to stay out and play defense on Lap 230 was the right gamble. It allowed Elliott to restart second, and from there until the checkered flag, the No. 9 car just had to keep the leaders in sight until he was able to make his maneuver on the inside of Keselowski on the final lap. His top-20 consistency was bound to pay off at some point with a win as he also avoided calamity all night.
Who advances to Round 2:
Advancing with Elliott to the next round are: (3) Chris Buescher, (6) Ty Gibbs, (8) Alex Bowman, (9) Bubba Wallace, (12) John Hunter Nemechek, (14) Zane Smith, (15) Ryan Preece, (17) Brad Keselowski, (20) Erik Jones, (22) AJ Allmendinger, (23) Tyler Reddick, (26) Carson Hocevar, (29) Ricky Stenhouse Jr., (31) Noah Gragson and (32) Ty Dillon.
The most eye-catching driver from this group is Dillon, as the No. 32 seed left Atlanta with a huge upset over top-ranked Denny Hamlin. Dillon was ahead of Hamlin for most of the race after Hamlin got caught in the huge melee to start Stage 2, but also qualified 14th and ran around the top 10 for a majority of the 260-lap event. It’s a long shot for his “Cinderella run” to continue, but he delivered an ultimate stunner in Round 1.
Most interesting matchup in Round 2 of the challenge: No. 8 seed Alex Bowman vs. No. 9 seed Bubba Wallace. These two had a bit of a dust-up at the end of last year’s Chicago Street Race, so how will things fare this time around with a hefty payday on the line? Bowman is the defending winner and enters with a more significant road-course advantage. However, Wallace qualified in the top 15 both years at Chicago and finished 13th last year, which is enough to keep this battle at Grant Park interesting.
Who’s up
Tyler Reddick, No. 45 23XI Racing Toyota. Winning the matchup of the week over Kyle Larson, the No. 23-seeded driver fought an uphill battle with a tight-handling car early in the race. However, being one of four cars not involved in a wreck and winning Stage 2 by an eyelash over Elliott helps turn the tide. His fourth-place finish gives solid momentum into a track where he finished runner-up last year, plus he owns three road-course wins at the Cup level.
Who’s down
Carson Hocevar, No. 77 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet. The young driver keeps his $1 million hopes alive after Ryan Blaney wrecked out in Stage 2, and while a top-10 finish isn’t bad on paper, his matchup against Reddick does not favor him. In seven road-course starts at the Cup level, Hocevar has six finishes of 12th or worse. He had a third-place finish last year at Watkins Glen, but the tight corners in the “Windy City” are a different challenge.