RFK Racing’s Chris Buescher isn’t losing any sleep over the build-up to the Michigan race this weekend. The groundwork for NASCAR’s in-season challenge bracket will be laid over the next three races, beginning at Michigan International Speedway, then shifting to Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez in Mexico, and finally landing at Pocono Raceway.
Advertisement
During his pre-race media session, the No. 17 driver made it clear that although the in-season challenge field was set following Nashville, it won’t alter his approach at Michigan.
“I don’t think it’s gonna change much at all,” he said. Admitting he’s no expert in other sports, Buescher confessed he’s still trying to wrap his head around the nuances of brackets and seedings. That said, he still acknowledged the stakes.
“Ultimately, it’s a lot on the line. There’s a million dollars at the end of it. I’m sure teams have taken note of it… and I don’t know how many weeks it goes, but our season is way bigger than that and it’s not something that you’re willing to do anything whatsoever that will come at a detriment to racing for a championship, which means making the playoffs first.”
“No, I don’t see that being something that’s going to affect anything leading into a race weekend,” he concluded.
Buescher added that there may be some moments during a race when the scenario boils down to a one-on-one showdown in the bracket, where a driver might take a calculated risk. But unless it guarantees a tangible gain without flirting with a penalty, he doesn’t expect many drivers to veer from their usual game plan.
He sees the challenge as more of a fan-centric twist — an added wrinkle for the audience to sink their teeth into. And he feels it’s just something for the NASCAR fans to dive off into and keep them excited, and it’s something to push against and let them have some fun with it.
The NASCAR in-season challenge is officially scheduled to start on June 28 at EchoPark Speedway — formerly Atlanta Motor Speedway — under TNT Sports’ newly minted broadcast window. Meanwhile, seeding will be determined by each driver’s best result across the three lead-up races.
Then the real knockout begins: 32 drivers face off at EchoPark Speedway, 16 advance to Chicago, eight to Sonoma, four to Dover, and finally, two will square off at Indianapolis — with a $1 million prize on the line.
