Overview

• Round 2 of NASCAR’s in-season bracket kicks off at the Chicago Street Course under rain warnings that could upend expected results.
• Experts have released predictions for each of the eight head-to-head matchups, highlighting potential upset runs by underdog seeds.
• A 23-car pileup in Round 1 at Atlanta wiped out every fan bracket and eliminated top seeds, underscoring the format’s volatility.
• NASCAR insiders and commentators are pushing for a bracket reset to give fans a second chance and bolster engagement after the early chaos.
• Drivers’ street-course prowess and their teams’ weather-adaptation strategies are set to determine who advances to Round 3 at Sonoma.