© Matthew O'Haren/Imagn
Audio By Carbonatix
The final round of the inaugural NASCAR In-Season Challenge takes place this week at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. But before the race could even begin, the series made an apparent last-second change to the rules that has fans fuming.
The new tournament, which drivers were already skeptical of, is a five-week, 32-driver tournament that pays the winner a $1 million grand prize. At least, that’s what fans and drivers were led to believe. But it appears that is not actually the case.
Update: NASCAR says the $1 million for the winning driver will go to the owner. https://t.co/e4cUsGTBtT
— Bob Pockrass (@bobpockrass) July 22, 2025
$1 Million Prize For NASCAR In-Season Challenge Will Go To Owners Not Drivers
As it turns out, the winner of the tournament will not take home $1 million. Instead, the $1 million will go to the team owner, who can distribute the money as they see fit or as or as specified in the driver’s contract. But considering this is the first year of the tournament, it’s hard to imagine that contracts contain any language about the tournament specifically.
The two drivers competing in the finals are Kaulig Racing’s Ty Dillon and Joe Gibbs Racing’s Ty Gibbs, both of whom are the grandsons of legendary NASCAR team owners (Richard Childress and Joe Gibbs). So it’s not like either Dillon or Gibbs needs the money. But it would’ve been nice to see that money distributed to crew members for each team.
While that may still be the case, it will be up to the discretion of the respective team owners.
“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,” Pockrass went on to report.
“Imagine winning a trophy, and your boss gets it. That is what this is,” one fan said of the move.
“This legit kills the whole fun of the whole thing,” another wrote.
If this was the plan all along, NASCAR didn’t articulate it very well. If it was not, then the change represents a massive betrayal of the drivers’ trust. Either way, it’s a major unforced error from a series that can’t afford to do so.