The 2026 NASCAR In-Season Challenge is complete. Todd Gilliland, the No. 25 seed, capped a Cinderella run by beating No. 3 Ryan Blaney in the Champions Round at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on July 26 to claim the $1,000,000 grand prize. Gilliland finished 24th in the Brickyard 400 to Blaney’s 26th, closing out the 32-driver, single-elimination bracket contested across five straight NASCAR Cup Series races on TNT Sports. Grab the free printable bracket below with every result filled in.
Quick Facts
- Event: 2026 NASCAR In-Season Challenge (Cup Series bracket tournament)
- Format: 32 drivers, single-elimination, five races, higher finisher advances
- Prize: $1,000,000 to the champion
- Champion: Todd Gilliland (No. 25 seed)
- Final: Champions Round at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, July 26 (complete)
- Result: Todd Gilliland def. Ryan Blaney; tournament complete
Free printable In-Season Challenge bracket
Print the full 32-driver bracket with Round 1 results already filled in and the Round 2 matchups set. Track it round by round through the $1 million finish at Indianapolis.
Champions Round results: Indianapolis Motor Speedway (July 26)
2026 In-Season Challenge schedule
| Round | Date | Track | Time (ET) | Network |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Round 1 | June 28 | Sonoma Raceway | 3:30 p.m. | TNT Sports |
| Round 2 | July 5 | Chicagoland Speedway | 6 p.m. | TNT Sports |
| Round 3 | July 12 | EchoPark Speedway | 7 p.m. | TNT Sports |
| Round 4 | July 19 | North Wilkesboro Speedway | 7 p.m. | TNT Sports |
| Champions Round | July 26 | Indianapolis Motor Speedway | 2 p.m. | TNT Sports |
How the In-Season Challenge works
The In-Season Challenge is a single-elimination, bracket-style tournament held during the regular NASCAR Cup Series season. Thirty-two drivers were seeded by points position entering the event (set after the race at Pocono), then paired off in head-to-head matchups. In each matchup, the driver with the better finishing position in that week’s race advances; the other is eliminated. The field is cut from 32 to 16, then to eight, four, two, and finally a single champion crowned at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. It is one of the few true brackets in motorsports, which makes it perfect for a printable pool with friends.
Want more race-day printables? Browse our NASCAR schedules and printable TV trackers for every 2026 Cup Series race.
Frequently asked questions
What is the NASCAR In-Season Challenge?
It is a 32-driver, single-elimination bracket tournament run over five consecutive NASCAR Cup Series races. Drivers face off head-to-head each week, and the higher finisher advances until one driver wins the $1 million prize.
When and where is Round 2?
Round 2 is at Chicagoland Speedway on Sunday, July 5, at 6 p.m. ET on TNT Sports. Sixteen drivers remain, competing in eight head-to-head matchups.
How do drivers advance in the bracket?
The driver with the better finishing position in each head-to-head matchup advances to the next round. There are no points carried over; each round is decided solely by that week’s race result.
What channel is the In-Season Challenge on?
All five rounds air on TNT Sports, part of TNT’s summer stretch of the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series schedule.
Official bracket and results: NASCAR.com In-Season Challenge.
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