Is Denny Hamlin leading NASCAR’s $1M paying in-season tournament after Michigan? All you need to know

Denny Hamlin emerged victorious at Michigan International Speedway (June 8), securing his third NASCAR Cup Series win of the 2025 season. This triumph was especially significant as it marked the kickoff of NASCAR’s new $1 million In-Season Challenge. It is a tournament-style competition introduced in the current season.

The Michigan race served as the first of three seeding events. Hamlin’s win guarantees him a coveted spot in the tournament’s 32-driver bracket phase.

The In-Season Challenge spans eight races in June and July, with the first three - Michigan, Mexico City, and Pocono - determining which drivers advance to the single-elimination bracket. Race winners automatically qualify, while the rest of the slots are set to be filled by the best finishers across these events.

After the seeding races are done, the bracket phase begins at Atlanta Motor Speedway on June 28, where drivers will compete head-to-head for the $1 million prize. In each round of the tournament, drivers are paired head-to-head, and the one with the better finish advances to the next stage. The field narrows from 32 to 16, then to 8, 4 and then finally 2. This culminates in a championship showdown at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, where the best finisher claims the $1 million prize.

NASCAR Insights summarized the tournament and shared the current seeding positions, with Denny Hamlin at the top as of this writing.

"Michigan marked the 1st of 3 seeding races for the In-Season Tournament, beginning at Atlanta. Seeding is based off of a drivers best finish in the 3 races."

This format ensures every postion on the track matters, as even a single spot can make the difference between advancing and elimination. The In-Season Challenge runs alongside the regular season.

While the tournament does not have a traditional points leader at this point in time, Hamlin’s Michigan victory positions him as an early favorite in the high-stakes competition.

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Denny Hamlin on taunting fans with his celebration at Michigan

Denny Hamlin revealed that his celebration at Michigan included a new twist on his iconic catchphrase and that he had planned to perform a burnout, which he had to cut short because he was nearly out of fuel. When asked about his role as NASCAR's villain, Hamlin embraced the label, stating that he finds it fun and thrives on the energy from fans who boo him.

The 23XI Racing co-owner added that while fans may express their opinions from the stands, they have always been respectful in face-to-face interactions.

"It’s a lot of fun for me. I love making people feel a certain way. Positive or negative, I do not care. All the fans that I’ve been face to face with have been very respectful. What they say outside on the other side of the fence, free rein. Do whatever you want to do, say whatever you want to say. They’ve been very respectful in the small arena," Denny Hamlin said.

Denny Hamlin further said that he would continue to taunt the crowd until the boos are replaced by cheers, emphasizing that celebrating wins is important given how challenging and rare they can be in NASCAR.

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Edited by Tushar Bahl