The Cutline’s 2026 Race Weekend Rankings Tier List

What’s Happening?

NASCAR finally made its triumphant return to Chicagoland Speedway this past weekend. While we had to wait until almost midnight for the O’Reilly Series race, Cup was right on the money in terms of time and on-track action. This was one of the best weekends of the year, and Chicagoland has made its place on the schedule for, hopefully, the foreseeable future.

So, where do these races stack up on the season? Let’s look at where all three races landed on this week’s Race Weekend Rankings!

Check out the latest episode of The Cutline, where I broke down the weekend at Chicagoland.

eero 400: A-Tier

• The Cup race was OUTSTANDING! From the drop of the green flag, we knew this race would be anything but boring. This race had everything a fan could want. Battles for the lead, multi-groove racing, spectacles, and so much more.
• Briscoe vs Bell was the icing on the cake. Seeing the 20 pounce on the 19, two drivers hungry for their first win of the season, in a duel worthy of a return, was phenomenal. One of the best finishes of the year for one of the best races of the year.

You can follow along with me by creating your own Race Weekend Rankings Tier List. Make sure to tag me and The Daily Downforce on X, and we’ll share your list with the rest of the NASCAR Community.