NASCAR Cup Series Round 1 Recap: Major Upsets at EchoPark Speedway
In a dramatic Round 1 of the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs at EchoPark Speedway, a staggering 16 drivers were eliminated, setting the stage for intensified competition at the Chicago Street Course. The most shocking outcome involved top seed Denny Hamlin, who was ousted by No. 32 seed Ty Dillon following a catastrophic 23-car pileup on Lap 69.
Chase Briscoe, the No. 2 seed, also fell victim to the chaos, ending his race in the same wreck while allowing No. 31 seed Noah Gragson to advance. Other notable eliminations included Christopher Bell, who was knocked out by Ricky Stenhouse Jr., and Ross Chastain, sent home by Erik Jones.
Currently, RFK Racing’s trio of drivers has advanced, while all representatives from Trackhouse Racing and Team Penske have been eliminated. The only remaining Joe Gibbs Racing driver is Ty Gibbs, and half of Hendrick Motorsports’ contingent has exited after Round 1.
Matchups for Round 2 at Chicago
The second round features the following matchups:
- Ty Dillon (32) vs. Brad Keselowski (17)
- Alex Bowman (8) vs. Bubba Wallace (9)
- John Hunter Nemechek (12) vs. Chase Elliott (5)
- Erik Jones (20) vs. Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (29)
- Noah Gragson (31) vs. Ryan Preece (15)
- Carson Hocevar (26) vs. Tyler Reddick (23)
- AJ Allmendinger (22) vs. Ty Gibbs (6)
- Zane Smith (14) vs. Chris Buescher (3)
As the series moves towards Chicago, the unexpected turns of Round 1 have altered the competitive landscape, making upcoming races imperative for championship aspirations.
