The time has come for the top 32 drivers in the Cup Series standings to battle for $1 million. The bracket and matchups for the inaugural in-season tournament have been finalized.
The final three races of the Prime Video schedule seeded the 32 drivers into the bracket. Those who performed the best in this stretch took higher seeds ahead of the opening race at EchoPark Speedway.
For example, Denny Hamlin is the top seed despite missing one race for the birth of his son. Hamlin won the Michigan International Speedway race and then finished second at Pocono Raceway. Chase Briscoe took the second seed after finishing 23rd at Michigan, seventh in Mexico City, and first at Pocono.
Photo credit: NASCAR
Briscoe and Hamlin are the only tournament-eligible drivers to win in the seeding races. Shane van Gisbergen won in Mexico City but missed the bracket cutoff.
Chris Buescher is the third seed after a strong trio of races. He finished second at Michigan, 10th in Mexico City, and fourth at Pocono. Christopher Bell took the fourth seed by finishing 16th, second, and 17th.
The three races seeded the bracket, but how did NASCAR determine the matchups? Much like in college basketball's March Madness, the higher seeds will face off with the lower seeds.
This means that Hamlin will take on the No. 32 seed, Ty Dillon, at EchoPark Speedway. Briscoe will take on the No. 31 seed, Noah Gragson. Buescher will take on the No. 30 seed, Todd Gilliland. Bell will take on the No. 29 seed, Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
The drivers that finish the best in these matchups will move on to the next round of the tournament, which takes place on the streets of Chicago. For example, whichever driver delivers a better finish in Hamlin vs. Dillon will move on to face either Brad Keselowski (17th) or Kyle Busch (16th).
Whichever driver delivers a better finish in Buescher vs. Gilliland will take on either Zane Smith (14th) or Austin Cindric (19th).
The matchups continue with some fascinating drivers facing off in the opening race of the in-season tournament. This includes Ryan Preece (15th) facing off with William Byron (18th). Both drivers are solid at on drafting tracks, which creates an intriguing battle.
There isn't an obvious choice in this pairing despite Byron having two previous wins at EchoPark Speedway. His other finishes on the reconfigured track are 30th, 32nd, 17th, ninth, and 27th. Preece's finishes at the track since the reconfiguration are 28th, 24th, 16th, 18th, and 18th. He has finished every race there in the Gen 7 era.
The race at EchoPark Speedway will only be the start of the five-week tournament. The 16 drivers who advance will face off in Chicago. Those who finish better in their respective matchups will advance to the Round of 8 in Sonoma.
The bracket will continue shrinking in size as the tournament heads to the Final Four at Dover. The two remaining drivers will then race for $1 million at Indianapolis. Whichever has the better finish wins the money.