First Look: NASCAR Back at Chicagoland

What’s Happening?

NASCAR fans are finally getting a good look at NASCAR’s latest returning track as videos of NASCAR’s first test at Chicagoland Speedway ahead of the sport’s return to the track are making the rounds on social media.

• Tuesday, several NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts and Cup Series teams took to the track for a tire test ahead of the track’s July 4 race weekend. While this is just a test, it is one of the most anticipated tests in recent years, as the track has not seen action this decade.
• In recent interviews, NASCAR officials, including EVP Chief Racing Development Officer John Probst, have said the track did not need a repave. However, as fans have pointed out online, the new clips of the venue, such as the one shown above from Alex Kerner on X, show that there is still a lot of work to be done ahead of time.
• While the track’s “ballfield,” the grass that stands between the frontstretch and pit road, looks to be in good shape, signage is a clear issue for NASCAR. For example, the old Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series logos are still atop the flag stand and sit on the entry portion of pit road.
• Chicagoland, located in Joliet, Illinois, debuted on the NASCAR schedule in 2001 and, after the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic, was removed from the schedule. But, with the recent revitalization of NASCAR’s intermediate racing product and the pause placed on the Chicago street race, the sport opted to return in 2026.

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