Ryan Blaney enters Sunday’s Brickyard 400 as the clear favorite to defeat Todd Gilliland and capture the 2026 NASCAR In-Season Challenge championship. Sportsbooks have installed the Team Penske driver as a -320 favorite, while Gilliland enters the head-to-head matchup as a +200 underdog, reflecting Blaney’s edge heading into the winner-take-all showdown.
The stakes couldn’t be higher, as the winner of the NASCAR In-Season Challenge will take home a $1 million prize. Blaney has been one of the strongest performers throughout the tournament and has consistently shown the speed to contend for victories on a weekly basis. He has lived up to expectations by advancing to the championship round and now sits one head-to-head victory away from the massive payday.
Gilliland deserves plenty of credit for his Cinderella run to the final, knocking off several higher-seeded drivers along the way. However, Blaney’s experience, elite Team Penske equipment, and proven ability to perform in high-pressure moments make him the driver to beat. If he delivers another strong performance at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Blaney is in prime position to defeat Gilliland, win the NASCAR In-Season Challenge, and collect the $1 million prize.