NASCAR introduced the In-Season Tournament this year in an attempt to create fresh competition dynamics that would keep fans engaged. The second round of the tournament concluded in Chicago last Sunday, and eight drivers remain in contention for the $1 million prize. But not everyone is happy with how things have played out thus far.
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A section of the fandom has expressed concern about how the tournament has cornered attention, taking the emphasis away from the regular season. This section considers the bracket-style contest to be gimmicky and an unwanted distraction.
Dale Earnhardt Jr., for one, doesn’t agree with this opinion. He explained why on Dale Jr. Download.
“They are battling on the racetrack, spinning each other out, and whoever wins that battle is going to advance into the next round,” the icon seethed to his co-hosts. “It’s eight drivers. Then it’s four, then it’s two. For a million bucks. Why in the f— would we not talk about this?”
Junior also believes that the teams and drivers are positively focused and involved in it, even though it might not be their top priority. “I don’t see why anybody would be upset that we want to have this bracket,” added Dale Jr.
In an age where social media offers a huge platform for everyone to express their opinions, it is not surprising to find complainers and haters for every cause. Junior appeared to be quite frustrated about it, despite knowing this too well.
As far as the In-Season Tournament is concerned, it has provided an interesting twist to the action on the track.
Which drivers remain in the In-Season Tournament?
Following the street race in Chicago, Ty Dillon and Alex Bowman have been seeded to race each other at Sonoma Raceway next Sunday. John Hunter Nemechek will go up against his Legacy Motor Club teammate, Erik Jones.
Ryan Preece will battle for position with Tyler Reddick, and Ty Gibbs will do so with Zane Smith. Four drivers from this list will advance to the next round at Dover.
Two will be shortlisted on the one-mile oval, and the final will play out at the iconic Indianapolis Motor Speedway. It is rather interesting that not many big-name drivers are a part of the competition at this stage. Several, including the likes of Denny Hamlin and Kyle Larson, were knocked out early and left the prize money up for grabs.
