NASCAR first announced the new in-season challenge back in May 2024, and major hype followed, but then it died with no promotions in sight. A year from then, in early June, with the challenge only a few weeks away, the conversations reignited with Kyle Larson saying, “I just really haven’t seen anything promoted about it, so I think it’s easy to forget about it,” soon after his latest “Double” attempt. Now, Joey Logano has entered the conversation and made his feelings clear on his approach.

Earlier this month, the defending Cup Series champ said of the upcoming tournament: “This is a little longer thing, but it’s a race within the race. So you’re not willing to give up a lot to do that, right?” So, when Joey Logano sat down for an interview on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, he shared similar thoughts again, but with a fiery twist that will keep the garage on their toes.

Joey Logano is in it for the money

Before we dive into Logano’s comments, here’s how the tournament works. Thirty-two drivers compete for tournament seedings over three races, which started at Michigan and conclude at Pocono on June 22. The winners of these races automatically qualify (so far, Denny Hamlin at Michigan and Shane van Gisbergen at Mexico City), and the rest of the drivers rank according to their best finish. After this, a head-to-head bracket is set for the next 5 races, and drivers are getting eliminated with each race starting from Atlanta on June 28th. The driver who has a higher H2H finish at each race progresses to the next round.

The single elimination format narrows the field to 16 at Chicago, then eight at Sonoma, four at Dover, and ultimately two at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. And then, there’s the heavy weight of money in it: $1M on the line. The champion earns $1 million, which grabs the drivers’ attention as part of the new media rights agreement featuring TNT. While season standings, playoff points, and a spot in the playoffs are all up for grabs simultaneously, this added $ 1 million bonus is a tremendous incentive for drivers who are trying to work their way in. And while Joey Logano already has his spot locked after a win at Texas earlier this year, he is not going to be slouching at this opportunity, and we should have expected that.

During his recent appearance on the Sirius XM NASCAR podcast, Logano said of the $1M worth in-season tournament, “The in-season tournament, you know, there’s a million bucks on the line, that’s plenty for me to go to work. I get it, you know? You see how upset I was at the All-Star race. It’s the same number. So, I’m gonna be in. So, I’m excited about.” All you have to do is cast your mind back to that night at North Wilkesboro when Joey Logano and Christopher Bell were fighting for the win at the All-Star race.

No points on the line, but the $1 million prize was enough to motivate the 2024 All-Star champ, Joey Logano. He took the lead in stage 3 and was fighting off all challengers until the ‘promoter’s caution’ reset the field, and on the restart, Christopher Bell proved to be too much. Bell used Logano’s door and pushed him up the track as he made the pass late in the race. Logano was fuming after the race, saying, “He did it good enough that I couldn’t get back to him, because I was going to show him what fair was.” Fiery words for a race that has no championship implications with just $1 million on the line. But that’s Joey Logano for you, always competitive when there’s more than just a race win at stake. This is why he relishes the idea of such an in-season tournament.

Logano added, “I think it’s something great. Gives us something to talk about at this point of the year. Outside of the team trying to make the playoffs, that are already in the playoffs. It gives them a little something more. I think this is a great idea. I’m excited to see how it plays out. And I’m sure it’s going to be something exciting, and they’ll probably do it again. But, yeah, I think it’s great.” With 10 drivers already securing a playoff spot, this tournament adds to the thrill and motivation to race for Logano, despite already locking himself into the playoffs.

Logano and the other Cup Series drivers are set to travel to Pocono Raceway this weekend. Following that, the first race of the in-season challenge is scheduled to take place at EchoPark Speedway in Atlanta on June 28. Seeding is based on the best finish among the Michigan, Mexico City, and Pocono races, and in the event of a tie, the next-best finish in those three races or the points standings after Pocono will be used as tiebreakers. Having finished 21st in Mexico, Logano currently sits at 27 on the list.

But there are still a few doubts around Logano. Earlier this month, Logano shared ahead of Nashville, “You can’t dominate by talent alone. You’ve got to have the work ethic, the experience, and the drive to outlast everyone else.” Though the words are meaningful, Logano’s 2025 season hasn’t been very successful.

How is the season looking for Joey Logano?

Joey Logano’s 2025 season began with promise but quickly became challenging. At the Daytona 500, he led 43 laps before a crash ended his race. He faced similar issues in subsequent races, leading at Atlanta and Phoenix but finishing outside the top 10 because of a restart violation at Phoenix and a pit stop error at Las Vegas that cost him 20 positions. A significant blow came at Talladega, where he initially finished fifth but was disqualified after post-race inspections revealed a technical violation.

Despite leading more laps than any other Penske driver, Logano struggled with consistency early in the season, managing only one top-10 finish in ten starts. His frustration was evident as he admitted in March, “I’ve left the racetrack every single weekend mad at something.” However, he silenced critics with his first victory at Texas Motor Speedway in May, which helped him gain momentum.

While not considered a favorite for the Viva Mexico 250, Logano qualified ninth and gained positions early in the race. However, early cautions and pit stops dropped him to 24th by the end of Stage 1. Despite a brief recovery in Stage 2, he finished 21st. Although his win secures him a spot in the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs, Logano and his team are eager for improved performances as the season progresses. Will he be a solid challenge at the inaugural tournament? Well, that’s to be seen.

What do you think of the In-Season Challenge? Let us know in the comments!