Todd Gilliland completed one of the biggest surprise runs of the NASCAR Cup Series season Sunday at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, defeating Ryan Blaney to capture the inaugural NASCAR In-Season Challenge and the $1 million prize that came with it.
Entering the tournament as one of the lower-seeded drivers, Gilliland embraced the underdog role from the opening round. Week after week, the No. 34 Ford quietly advanced by outrunning some of the Cup Series’ biggest names, building momentum with consistent finishes and mistake-free performances.
Gilliland entered today’s race starting from the back in 36th, while Ryan Blaney started from 13th. It seemed like the $1 million was going to go to Ryan Blaney if he was able to avoid trouble or mistakes. Well the No. 12 Team Penske Ford got caught in a wreck with 37 laps to go which ultimately put Todd Gilliland in control. Despite having damage on his car, Ryan Blaney didn’t go down without a fight and put some pressure on Gilliland in the closing laps.
Despite relentless pressure from the former Cup Series champion, Gilliland kept his No. 34 Ford in front of Blaney when it mattered most, winning the NASCAR In-Season Challenge after an impressive month-long run through the bracket-style tournament.
In a race where every position mattered and passing seemed impossible, Gilliland never needed to lead a lap to leave Indianapolis a winner. All he had to do was keep Ryan Blaney in his mirror and he did exactly that.