Ty Gibbs, the 2026 defending champion of the NASCAR In‑Season Bracket Challenge, failed to advance past Chicagoland, ending his bid to secure a sequel to last year’s $1 million prize.
Bracket shifts after Chicagoland
Half of the 32 drivers were whittled down to 16 at Sonoma, and the fire‑power of the tournament collapsed further after Chicagoland left only eight contestants for the next phase. Denny Hamlin (no. 2 seed), Ryan Blaney (no. 3), and Chase Elliott (no. 4) survive, but two lower‑seeded veterans – Todd Gilliland (no. 25) and Alex Bowman (no. 32) – also manage to hold their places.
Gilliland downed Carson Hocevar to secure a 16th‑place finish, while Bowman returned to the chart after a vertigo‑induced pause and a 10th‑and‑5th‑place run that vaulted him into round three. Still, the bulk of Chicagoland’s winners were the underdogs: five of the eight face‑offs were won by the lower‑seeded driver. Kyle Larson’s season‑crippling spin cast a shadow over his strong start.
Only one of the bracket‑busting sailors will move on to Atlanta. Gilliland and Bowman will clash in the coming weekend as the tournament’s final tightfoots begin to unravel.
Upcoming round‑three duels at EchoPark Speedway
- Denny Hamlin (No. 2) vs. Christopher Bell (No. 10)
- Ryan Blaney (No. 3) vs. William Byron (No. 11)
- Chase Elliott (No. 4) vs. Chase Briscoe (No. 12)
- Todd Gilliland (No. 25) vs. Alex Bowman (No. 32)
- Austin Cindric (No. 16) vs. Alex Bowman (No. 32)
With only Gilliland and Bowman left to battle in Atlanta, the bracket’s final twists hover just out of reach.
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