What’s Happening?
NASCAR fans think Dale Earnhardt Jr might have confirmed the return of NASCAR’s Chicago Street Course during the latest episode of his podcast.
Since NASCAR began annually revising its schedule before each season in 2021, fans have a newfound Silly Season to discuss: schedule Silly Season.
Each year, fans patiently wait for news and rumors of what tracks could be added or removed from the next season’s schedule, and this year is no different.
In particular, fans this season are more focused on returning tracks for the 2027 schedule, rather than new tracks.
This is thanks in part to plenty of talk and rumors from NASCAR insiders and executives, among the potential returning tracks and events are Mexico City’s Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez, The Clash at Daytona, the Chicago Street Circuit, and the San Diego Street Circuit.
One track that has the attention of fans, due in part to its potential implications on the long-term future of another track on the schedule, is the Chicago Street Circuit.
In fact, fans in online NASCAR circles started talking about the return of the Chicago Street race on Tuesday evening after NASCAR Hall of Famer Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s latest episode of his podcast, The Dale Jr Download.
During this episode, Earnhardt was discussing the rumored poor ticket sales for Chicagoland Speedway, the 1.5-mile intermediate oval in nearby Joliet, Illinois.
The track has not been on the NASCAR schedule since 2019 (technically 2020), and it’s hosting its first race since then this weekend as a direct replacement for the Chicago Street Course.
During these talks, Earnhardt made mention of the Chicago Street race’s return, saying, “I guess [the] Chicago Street Course is coming back, so I don’t know if Chicagoland stays.”
These comments quickly caught the attention of NASCAR fans, not just because of the conflict that this would create for Chicagoland, but also because Earnhardt’s tone seems to suggest that a return of the race in Chicago’s Grant Park is a guarantee.
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Of course, as a broadcaster and team owner in the sport, many suggested that Earnhardt would potentially be in the know of things, especially a race that is very high profile on the schedule.
Even then, others are pointing out that most rumors are pointing towards the race returning for 2027, and that Earnhardt is merely taking these rumors as a given.
The first report that Chicago could be back in 2027 actually came from the event’s official social media accounts in 2025, which said that for 2026, officials will “hit pause,” aiming to “return to the streets of Chicago in 2027.”
While there has been very little chatter about the race’s future since then, in May, Jordan Bianchi of The Athletic reported that a return agreement between NASCAR and the city in 2027 is “closer to reality than ever.”
Since then, other reports and rumors suggest that if the race does return, it will be earlier in the summer, though, of course, as of right now, neither NASCAR nor the city of Chicago has announced any plans for a 2027 race at Grant Park.
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