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Here's who advanced to the penultimate round of NASCAR's In-Season Challenge
NASCAR Cup Series driver Tyler Reddick. Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Here's who advanced to the penultimate round of NASCAR's In-Season Challenge

Following Sunday's NASCAR Cup Series race at Sonoma Raceway, only four drivers remain alive in NASCAR's inaugural In-Season Challenge. Here's who advanced to the penultimate round at Dover Motor Speedway. 

(15) Ryan Preece vs (23) Tyler Reddick

Advanced: Reddick 

Eliminated: Preece

Reddick was solid all day, and while Preece ran inside the top 15 for much of the afternoon, his 12th-place effort couldn't match Reddick's sixth-place finish. Reddick is still alive as the circuit heads to Dover — which ironically, could be the first race where 23XI Racing does not have its charters. Reddick will take on Ty Gibbs at Dover. 

(32) Ty Dillon vs (8) Alex Bowman 

Advanced: Dillon 

Eliminated: Bowman 

It's time for someone to check and see if Dillon and the No. 10 Kaulig Racing team have been taking Sister Jean with them over the last three weeks. Just like Loyola University Chicago in the 2018 NCAA Tournament, as the lowest seed in the tournament, Dillon has made an improbable run to the Final Four and advanced on Sunday by moving Bowman out of the way in turn 11 on the final lap. Dillon's 17th-place effort bested Bowman by two spots. Dillon will compete against John Hunter Nemechek at Dover. 

(6) Ty Gibbs vs (14) Zane Smith 

Advanced: Gibbs 

Eliminated: Smith 

Gibbs ran a great race at Sonoma on Sunday, finishing seventh and easily eliminating Smith, who ran inside the top 15 late but was relegated to a 27th-place finish. Gibbs' matchup with Reddick at Dover should be a fun one to watch. 

(12) John Hunter Nemechek vs (20) Erik Jones 

Advanced: Nemechek

Eliminated: Jones

In a battle of LEGACY Motor Club teammates, neither Nemechek or Jones ran particularly well all afternoon. When the chips were down, however, Nemechek's 28th-place finish was enough to best Jones' 29th-place effort and send him to Dover with a chance to make the final round. Nemechek will take on Ty Dillon at the "Monster Mile."

Samuel Stubbs

Hailing from the same neck of the woods as NASCAR Hall of Famer Mark Martin, Samuel has been covering NASCAR for Yardbarker since February 2024. He has been a member of the National Motorsports Press Association (NMPA) since October of 2024. When he’s not writing about racing, Samuel covers Arkansas Razorback basketball for Yardbarker

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