Another NASCAR Controversy Sparks Uproar As Drivers Get Betrayed in Mid-Season Twist

NASCAR’s 2025 In-Season Challenge ignited a summer charge unlike any other, bringing bracket-style drama with its 32-driver and five-race elimination format. Conceptualized by Denny Hamlin in 2023 during the Dirty Mo Media podcast, where he casually proposed pairing the top seed against the 32nd seed each week, NASCAR officially green-lighted it this June. Starting at Atlanta and running through Chicago, Sonoma, Dover, and concluding at Indianapolis, the Challenge injected a fresh, March Madness-style subplot into the Cup Series calendar, with the promise of $1 million for driver-seeded champion.

Upon its initial announcement, NASCAR drivers largely embraced the concept with enthusiasm. Many drivers expressed optimism about creating fresh storylines and increasing engagement during the summer months. Bubba Wallace highlighted the anticipated fan investment, stating, “For me to forget about it and remember how exciting it was when they announced, I think it’s going to be big for the fans to tune in and and give them a little bit more … you’re just invested more.” On the other hand, Joey Logano compared the $1 million prize to the All-Star Race money, saying, “It’s not like really the main story quite yet. So this really spices up the mid part of the season. We have a long season, so just kind of changing it up and adding something to it is great, and the in-season tournament, it’s cool.”

However, the excitement surrounding the final showdown at Indianapolis Motor Speedway has been significantly dampened by a recent clarification from NASCAR regarding the $1 million prize. This week, Fox reporter Bob Pockrass posted on X, “Update: NASCAR says the $1 million for the winning driver will go to the owner,” washing out any hope held by drivers and fans alike. He also quoted his tweet, writing, “I believe when the in-season tournament was first announced, the understanding of many in the garage was that the $1 million would go directly to the driver. But NASCAR says it will be paid to owner just like the purse (and depends on driver contract on how much driver gets).”

As the Challenge unfolded, it has indeed delivered unexpected thrills, leading to a highly improbable “Ty vs. Ty” finale. The semi-final round at Dover Motor Speedway saw rising star Ty Gibbs of Joe Gibbs Racing secure his spot by outdueling Tyler Reddick. However, the true underdog narrative belongs to Ty Dillon of Kaulig Racing. As the No. 32 seed, Dillon defied all odds by eliminating No. 1 seed Denny Hamlin in the very first round at Atlanta due to a surprising crash involving the latter. His incredible run also continued at Dover, where he narrowly beat John Hunter Nemechek, benefitting from a late race free pass. But now, it feels like all of that was for nothing.

Fans, too, are livid. They feel that the excitement built around the driver glory has been hijacked, reducing races into trophy showcases for wealthy team owners. What began as mid-season entertainment has morphed into a controversy over fairness and prize equity, and the spectators won’t let NASCAR forget it. Fans all over social media websites like Reddit and X have been heavily criticizing the sport for its two-faced character.

Fans cry foul over fine print

“Yeah I coulda sworn ads previously stated the driver would win 1 mil. I feel ripped off for caring in the first place. But I guess it isn’t like either of these silver spoon kids in the final need the money anyway,” one fan wrote in disbelief. Fans believed that the $1 million was a direct individual bonus for the winning driver, a notion fueled by the general promotional tone of TNT and other broadcasts, and even by Hamlin’s initial playful remarks about “royalty payments” for his tournament idea. But since Ty Gibbs, grandson of Joe Gibbs, and Ty Dillon, part of the well-known Dillon racing family, have been chosen for the final rounds, fans feel the change must’ve been made for a good reason.

Another fan added to the sentiment, saying, “Well that’s lame. I assumed that the driver would get it, and most likely would split it with the team as they usually did in the past for various events like this. That’s kind of lame. At the same time though, a million dollars would do a lot of good for a small team like Kaulig. Possibly allow them to get new equipment and help the 10 and 16 be more competitive. I’m sure even if the owner gets the money, the driver and team will get a cut.” While typical race purses are always split with the team, events like the Winston Million or No Bull 5 in NASCAR’s past were marketed with a clear emphasis on the driver potentially winning a massive personal sum. But for Kaulig Racing, operating on a different scale than powerhouses like Hendrick Motorsports and JGR, this could be a win-win situation.

Yet another sarcastically commented, “Well now it’s going to be real funny when Dillon wins the bracket finishing 21st because someone (probably Hocevar) hit Gibbs in the first stage and the camera pans to pit lane to see Ty and his pit crew celebrating like they won the Super Bowl.” The recurring theme of the 2025 season, with Hocevar wrecking others on the track, adds to the hope of many fans that he could do the same with Gibbs and end his night, while Gibbs and his crew will be out celebrating the $1 million win, even if he finishes at the end of the pack. But now, it all depends on how Indy plays out for the drivers this weekend.

But this new revelation feels almost like an advertising stunt to some: “This entire thing is an advertising stunt for Draft Kings anyways to boost their betting revenue during the mid-season slump. The fact that the driver and team will never see a dime from their work is just the icing on top of the s*** cake that is this nonsense.” The NASCAR In-Season Challenge banner presented with the DraftKings Sportsbook logo is heavily featured across broadcast, digital, and in-car camera feeds. In that sense, all of this was just a marketing strategy to increase betting engagement, as fans believe.

Some fans lament, “Well in Denny’s original bracket (which was 1000% better btw), the driver got the prize. Tyler picked out some shoes and went on the podcast – but still a prize! NASCAR going and ruining more of Denny’s s*** again.” This seemingly small detail from Reddick‘s appearance with new shoes at Hamlin’s Actions Detrimental podcast underscored the direct nature of the incentives in Hamlin’s original vision, which heavily contrasted with NASCAR’s eventual downplay of fans’ and drivers’ sentiments. But the fact that Hamlin had proposed the idea, which was then taken up by NASCAR, has made fans more furious over credit going to the wrong party.

As the dust settles on the Challenge, one thing is clear: fans are paying closer attention than ever, but some have even lost interest altogether. NASCAR’s choices now echo far beyond the track.