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Motorsport

NASCAR in-season challenge: How Atlanta broke every bracket

Atlanta Denny Hamlin Erik Jones Noah Gragson |Ricky Stenhouse Jr. Ryan Preece Ty Dillon Ty Gibbs Chicago EchoPark Speedway

Leaving Atlanta, 16 drivers have been eliminated and matchups are set for the second of five rounds at the Chicago Street Course. However, there are ZERO perfect bracket left anywhere after what transpired at EchoPark Speedway (Atlanta) on Saturday night.

First, let's take a look at some of the big surprises before we get into the Round 2 matchups. First, No. 1 seed Denny Hamlin is gone, eliminated by No. 32 seed Ty Dillon after Hamlin was involved in a massive 23-car pileup on Lap 69 of the race.

(Photo by: Krista Jasso / Getty Images)

No. 2 seed Chase Briscoe has also been eliminated as his day ended in the same wreck Hamlin was involved in, allowing No. 31 seed Noah Gragson to move forward instead.

But these were far from the only shocker as Ricky Stenhouse Jr. knocked out Christopher Bell, Erik Jones knocked out Ross Chastain, and Ryan Preece knocked out William Byron.

There are no Trackhouse or Penske drivers left in the competition, the only JGR driver remaining is Ty Gibbs, and half of HMS are out of it after Round 1. On the flip side of that, all three RFK Racing drivers move on while both drivers from smaller teams like Kaulig and Legacy Motor Club also advance.

So, where does that leave us heading to Chicago?

Round 2 matchups - Chicago Street Course

(Photo by: Sean Gardner / Getty Images)

Ty Dillon (No. 32 seed) vs. Brad Keselowski (No. 17 seed)

Alex Bowman (No. 8 seed) vs. Bubba Wallace (No. 9 seed)

John Hunter Nemechek (No. 12 seed) vs. Chase Elliott (No. 5 seed)

Erik Jones (No. 20 seed) vs. Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (No. 29 seed)

Noah Gragson (No. 31 seed) vs. Ryan Preece (No. 15 seed)

Carson Hocevar (No. 26 seed) vs. Tyler Reddick (No. 23 seed)

AJ Allmendinger (No. 22 seed) vs. Ty Gibbs (No. 6 seed)

Zane Smith (No. 14 seed) vs. Chris Buescher (No. 3 seed)

Photos from Atlanta II - Race

Ryan Blaney, Team Penske Ford, Brad Keselowski, Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing Ford

2025 - Atlanta II - Sunday

Shane van Gisbergen, Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet

2025 - Atlanta II - Sunday

Daniel Suarez, Trackhouse Chevrolet, Bubba Wallace, 23XI Racing Toyota

2025 - Atlanta II - Sunday

Noah Gragson, Front Row Motorsports Ford

2025 - Atlanta II - Sunday

Denny Hamlin, Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota

2025 - Atlanta II - Sunday

Ty Gibbs, Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota

2025 - Atlanta II - Sunday

Brad Keselowski, Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing Ford

2025 - Atlanta II - Sunday

Christopher Bell, Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota

2025 - Atlanta II - Sunday

Ryan Blaney, Team Penske Ford

2025 - Atlanta II - Sunday

Chase Elliott, Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet

2025 - Atlanta II - Sunday

Alex Bowman, Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet

2025 - Atlanta II - Sunday

Austin Dillon, Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet

2025 - Atlanta II - Sunday

Christopher Bell, Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota

2025 - Atlanta II - Sunday

Chase Elliott, Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet

2025 - Atlanta II - Sunday

Kyle Busch, Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet

2025 - Atlanta II - Sunday

Ty Dillon, Kaulig Racing Chevrolet

2025 - Atlanta II - Sunday

Kyle Busch, Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet

2025 - Atlanta II - Sunday

Joey Logano, Team Penske Ford, Josh Berry, Wood Brothers Racing Ford

2025 - Atlanta II - Sunday

General view

2025 - Atlanta II - Sunday

General view

2025 - Atlanta II - Sunday

Joey Logano, Team Penske Ford

2025 - Atlanta II - Sunday

Huge crash

2025 - Atlanta II - Sunday

Joey Logano, Austin Cindric, and Denny Hamlin

2025 - Atlanta II - Sunday

Ryan Blaney, Austin Dillon, AJ Allmendinger, Christopher Bell crash

2025 - Atlanta II - Sunday

Ryan Blaney, Austin Dillon, AJ Allmendinger, Christopher Bell crash

2025 - Atlanta II - Sunday

Ryan Blaney, Austin Dillon, AJ Allmendinger, Christopher Bell crash

2025 - Atlanta II - Sunday

AJ Allmendinger, Kaulig Racing Chevrolet, Ryan Blaney, Team Penske Ford, Austin Dillon, Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet, Kyle Larson, Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet, Christopher Bell, Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota

2025 - Atlanta II - Sunday

AJ Allmendinger, Kaulig Racing Chevrolet, Ryan Blaney, Team Penske Ford, Austin Dillon, Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet, Kyle Larson, Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet, Christopher Bell, Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota

2025 - Atlanta II - Sunday

Austin Dillon, Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet, Ryan Blaney, Team Penske Ford

2025 - Atlanta II - Sunday

Austin Cindric, Team Penske Ford, Denny Hamlin, Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota, Josh Berry, Wood Brothers Racing Ford, Ross Chastain, Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet, Joey Logano, Team Penske Ford, Ryan Preece, Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing Ford, Brad Keselowski, R

2025 - Atlanta II - Sunday

AJ Allmendinger, Kaulig Racing Chevrolet, Ryan Blaney, Team Penske Ford, Austin Dillon, Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet, Kyle Larson, Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet, Christopher Bell, Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota

2025 - Atlanta II - Sunday

Ross Chastain, Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet, Daniel Suarez, Trackhouse Chevrolet, William Byron, Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet, Corey Lajoie, Rick Ware Racing Ford

2025 - Atlanta II - Sunday

Austin Cindric, Team Penske Ford, Denny Hamlin, Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota, Josh Berry, Wood Brothers Racing Ford, Ross Chastain, Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet, Joey Logano, Team Penske Ford, Ryan Preece, Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing Ford, Brad Keselowski, R

2025 - Atlanta II - Sunday

AJ Allmendinger, Kaulig Racing Chevrolet, Ryan Blaney, Team Penske Ford, Austin Dillon, Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet, Kyle Larson, Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet, Christopher Bell, Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota

2025 - Atlanta II - Sunday

Joey Logano, Team Penske Ford

2025 - Atlanta II - Sunday

Austin Cindric, Team Penske Ford

2025 - Atlanta II - Sunday

Ross Chastain, Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet

2025 - Atlanta II - Sunday

Corey Lajoie, Rick Ware Racing Ford, Carson Hocevar, Spire Motorsports Chevrolet

2025 - Atlanta II - Sunday

Carson Hocevar, Spire Motorsports Chevrolet

2025 - Atlanta II - Sunday

Austin Cindric, Team Penske Ford, Kyle Busch, Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet, Denny Hamlin, Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota, Chase Briscoe, Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota, Noah Gragson, Front Row Motorsports Ford

2025 - Atlanta II - Sunday

Corey Lajoie, Rick Ware Racing Ford

2025 - Atlanta II - Sunday

Denny Hamlin, Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota

2025 - Atlanta II - Sunday

Austin Cindric, Team Penske Ford

2025 - Atlanta II - Sunday

Fans

2025 - Atlanta II - Sunday

Alex Bowman, Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet, Brad Keselowski, Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing Ford

2025 - Atlanta II - Sunday

Chase Elliott, Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet, Alex Bowman, Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet, Brad Keselowski, Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing Ford

2025 - Atlanta II - Sunday

Chase Elliott, Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet

2025 - Atlanta II - Sunday

Chase Elliott, Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet

2025 - Atlanta II - Sunday

Chase Elliott, Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet

2025 - Atlanta II - Sunday

Chase Elliott, Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet

2025 - Atlanta II - Sunday

NASCAR Cup

50

In this article

Nick DeGroot

NASCAR Cup

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