The 2026 NASCAR Cup Series hits EchoPark Speedway (formerly Atlanta Motor Speedway) this Sunday, and there are some exciting matchups to look forward to in this week's edition of the In-Season Challenge.
After round two at Chicagoland Speedway last time out, just eight drivers remain in the fight to land the stunning $1 million prize set to be awarded after the Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Sunday, July 26.
With that said, let's get into this weekend's matchups below.
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NASCAR In-Season Challenge Round 3 matchups
Denny Hamlin vs. Christopher Bell
One of a few mouthwatering matchups for this weekend, Denny Hamlin takes on Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Christopher Bell at Atlanta in what is a 50/50 clash.
Both drivers enter the event in fine form, with Hamlin currently topping the Cup Series standings after recently taking the lead, and Bell having finished second and fifth in the last two races at Chicagoland and Sonoma.
Over the years, Hamlin and Bell also have one race victory each at Atlanta Motor Speedway, but the No. 20's victory came much more recently, last spring, compared to Hamlin's in 2012.
This is one that really could go either way.
William Byron vs. Ryan Blaney
Whoever prevails between Hamlin and Bell will match up against the winner of another exciting round three pairing - William Byron versus Ryan Blaney.
Blaney has been Mr. Consistent in the Cup Series of late, finishing inside the top 10 in the last seven consecutive races. At the same time though, during that run, he has failed to crack the top five once.
Byron, on the other hand, has been far more up and down. His last seven results include fourth at Chicagoland and third at Pocono, but also 30th at Nashville and 32nd at San Diego.
Both drivers have previous victories at the track, with Blaney having won once in 2021, and Byron twice in 2022 and 2023.
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Alex Bowman vs. Todd Gilliland
The fairytale story of Alex Bowman winning the In-Season Challenge after missing multiple races this year due to vertigo is still on after he beat first seed Tyler Reddick and Austin Cindric on his way to round three.
Gilliland has eliminated two strong drivers himself, though, disposing of Daniel Suarez in round one and Carson Hocevar in round two.
However, Gilliland's best finish at Atlanta is 15th, while Bowman has secured four top fives in recent seasons, including last year when he finished third.
Gilliland hasn't had to finish in the top 15 yet to advance to round three, but he might have to do so this time around if he wants to continue his involvement beyond this weekend.
Chase Briscoe vs. Chase Elliott
Fresh off the back of his win at Chicagoland last weekend, Chase Briscoe takes on Chase Elliott in the fourth and final matchup at Atlanta this weekend.
Briscoe has shown great speed in recent weeks, with his win having been preceded by a second-place finish at Sonoma the week prior.
Elliott, on the other hand, has only finished inside the top 10 once since his win at Texas nine races ago, with the driver of the No. 9 Chevrolet seeking improvement as the regular season comes to a close.
The form certainly looks to be with Briscoe here, but Elliott certainly has the ability to pull a strong result out of the bag, particularly in front of a home crowd in Georgia, just like he did when he won this race last season.
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