Atlanta will be the first race of the NASCAR tournament in season

The first race of TNT’s five-race slate and NASCAR’s 2025 In-Season Tournament have been announced.

Atlanta Motor Speedway, which delivered a thrilling three-way finale earlier this season, will be the first race TNT will broadcast from New Hampshire in 2014, as well as the first race in NASCAR’s new In-Season Tournament, which is expected to his beginnings. in 2025.

The race will take place on Saturday, June 28, 2025, returning Atlanta to its night race after a year-long hiatus. Atlanta’s second race of the 2024 season will open the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs on September 8.

For TNT, the race will kick off the return of their coverage with a marquee event. With the possible addition of the Chicago Street Race and Brickyard 400 to TNT’s schedule – and therefore the In-Season tournament schedule itself – the media giant could have quite a lineup for its five-race slate. Of course, the 2025 NASCAR schedule is unknown, but even Atlanta will be a big draw for fans. Having the race take place on Saturday night also fills a major gap in the NASCAR schedule, as the only Saturday night race on the 2024 schedule is the Bristol Night Race on September 21.

As for the in-season tournament, holding the first race of the event at a Superspeedway will ensure that all 32 eligible drivers will have a chance at victory and, thus, a chance to advance to the next round of the tournament. For underdog drivers and teams, a superspeedway to kick off the five-race, $1 million bid is a huge chance to make some noise in what will undoubtedly be a competitive summer period.

If an underdog driver – say, a No. 16 seed going up against a No. 1 seed – were to take the checkered flag in Atlanta, they would not only secure a playoff spot, but also increase their chances to win $1 million. prime.

With the added drama of the in-season tournament, there is no doubt that Atlanta will once again be must-see TV in 2025.