High Stakes at EchoPark: NASCAR’s First-Ever In-Season Tournament Launches in Atlanta
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HAMPTON, Ga. — The lights will be bright and the stakes even brighter this Saturday night at EchoPark Speedway, as the NASCAR Cup Series roars into Atlanta for the Quaker State 400 Available at Walmart — but this time, it’s about more than just playoff points.
For the first time in NASCAR history, drivers will begin competing in a $1 million In-Season Tournament, launching a new chapter in Cup Series history with bracket-style intensity.
Tournament Format: Win Your Matchup, Advance
The 32-driver field was seeded based on results from the recent Cup Series races at Michigan, Mexico City, and Pocono. From here, drivers will battle across five races, starting with Atlanta, in head-to-head matchups. The 16 drivers who finish ahead of their assigned opponent will move on to the next round — the Chicago Street Course.
Saturday night’s race will feature the full bracket in action, including these top-tier matchups:
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#1 Denny Hamlin vs. #32 Ty Dillon
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#5 Chase Elliott vs. #28 Austin Dillon
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#16 Kyle Busch vs. #17 Brad Keselowski
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#10 Kyle Larson vs. #23 Tyler Reddick
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#2 Chase Briscoe vs. #31 Noah Gragson
A full list of all 16 matchups can be found below.
The Track and the Momentum
EchoPark Speedway — always known for unpredictability — delivered a record 50 lead changes in the spring, and Saturday night’s race promises more of the same chaos and drama. With drivers not only racing for points but now for elimination survival and a million-dollar incentive, every pass, every pit strategy, and every late restart matters more than ever.
Drivers to Watch in Round One
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Kyle Larson vs. Tyler Reddick – Both aggressive racers with superspeedway wins to their name.
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Ross Chastain vs. Erik Jones – Physical vs. patient racing styles.
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William Byron vs. Ryan Preece – Byron comes in hot off consistent top-5 finishes.
Matchups – Round 1 of the In-Season Tournament
| Matchup | Driver 1 | Driver 2 |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Denny Hamlin (No. 11) | Ty Dillon (No. 10) |
| 2 | Chase Briscoe (No. 19) | Noah Gragson (No. 4) |
| 3 | Chris Buescher (No. 17) | Todd Gilliland (No. 34) |
| 4 | Christopher Bell (No. 20) | Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (No. 47) |
| 5 | Chase Elliott (No. 9) | Austin Dillon (No. 3) |
| 6 | Ty Gibbs (No. 54) | Justin Haley (No. 7) |
| 7 | Ryan Blaney (No. 12) | Carson Hocevar (No. 77) |
| 8 | Alex Bowman (No. 48) | Joey Logano (No. 22) |
| 9 | Bubba Wallace (No. 23) | Daniel Suárez (No. 99) |
| 10 | Kyle Larson (No. 5) | Tyler Reddick (No. 45) |
| 11 | Michael McDowell (No. 71) | AJ Allmendinger (No. 16) |
| 12 | John Hunter Nemechek (No. 42) | Josh Berry (No. 21) |
| 13 | Ross Chastain (No. 1) | Erik Jones (No. 43) |
| 14 | Zane Smith (No. 38) | Austin Cindric (No. 2) |
| 15 | Ryan Preece (No. 60) | William Byron (No. 24) |
| 16 | Kyle Busch (No. 8) | Brad Keselowski (No. 6) |
When and Where to Watch
The green flag drops Saturday at 7 PM under the lights at EchoPark Speedway.
This is the first of five races that will determine who claims $1 million and the title of NASCAR’s first-ever In-Season Tournament Champion.
Tickets and camping are still available at:
www.EchoParkSpeedway.com
Stay with RCW Sports all week for matchup previews, driver reactions, and full coverage of this historic event.
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