NASCAR is back in the Chicago area this weekend, but it won’t be on the streets this Fourth of July.
After three years racing around a makeshift course by Grant Park, the Cup Series is returning to nearby Chicagoland Speedway in Joliet, Illinois. This will be NASCAR’s first trip to the 1.5-mile oval since 2019, and the 20th race at the venue since it opened in 2001.
The return to Chicagoland has been welcomed by drivers and fans, who are eager for the worn-out track surface to eat up tires in what should be a thrilling event. It will be a unique challenge for all drivers, considering they haven’t raced at the track in seven years.
So, what’s in store for Chicagoland? What’s the TV schedule for the weekend? And who could contend for the win on Sunday? Here’s everything to know for the eero 400.
When is the NASCAR race this weekend at Chicagoland?
Green flag for the eero 400 is set for Sunday, July 5, at 5:19 p.m. CT.
Before the race, there will be practice and qualifying sessions. The 39 drivers will hit the track for 50 minutes of practice on Friday. For qualifying on Saturday, each driver will get one lap to set their fastest lap, with the starting order set based on single-lap speed.
NASCAR TV schedule this weekend for Chicagoland
Adam Alexander (play-by-play), Dale Earnhardt Jr. (analyst) and Steve Letarte (analyst) will be on the call for TNT/truTV, with Jeff Burton, Jamie McMurray and Marty Smith providing pre- and post-race coverage.
Here’s the full schedule for Chicagoland:
Friday, July 3 (truTV, HBO Max)
Practice: 5 p.m. CT, truTV and HBO Max
Saturday, July 4 (truTV, HBO Max)
Qualifying: 2 p.m. CT, truTV and HBO Max
Sunday, July 5 (TNT, truTV, HBO Max)
NASCAR Nation Pre-Race: 4 p.m. CT, TNT, truTV and HBO Max
eero 400: 5 p.m. CT, TNT, truTV and HBO Max
Who is racing at Chicagoland? Here’s the entry list
Thirty-eight drivers will race at Chicagoland — the 36 full-timers, plus two part-time entries. Austin Hill will continue to fill in for Kyle Busch, as he has since the former champion died in May due to sepsis.
Star prospect Corey Heim, who won at San Diego two weeks ago, will continue his partial schedule for Michael Jordan’s 23XI Racing with his seventh start of 2026. J.J. Yeley (NY Racing Team) is the other part-timer competing this weekend.
Here’s the entry list for Chicagoland:
Car numberDriverTeamSponsor1Ross ChastainTrackhouse RacingBusch Light2Austin CindricTeam PenskePPG3Austin DillonRichard Childress RacingDow Veterans4Noah GragsonFront Row MotorsportsLong John Silver’s5Kyle LarsonHendrick MotorsportsHendrickCars.com6Brad KeselowskiRFK RacingTravelCenters of America7Daniel SuárezSpire MotorsportsModo Casino9Chase ElliottHendrick MotorsportsNAPA Auto Parts10Ty DillonKaulig RacingSea Best11Denny HamlinJoe Gibbs RacingProgressive Insurance12Ryan BlaneyTeam PenskeMenards16AJ AllmendingerKaulig RacingCelsius17Chris BuescherRFK RacingBody Guard19Chase BriscoeJoe Gibbs RacingBass Pro Shops20Christopher BellJoe Gibbs RacingSaia Freight & Logistics21Josh BerryWood Brothers Racingeero22Joey LoganoTeam PenskeShell/Pennzoil23Bubba Wallace23XI RacingUpper Deck/Space Jam24William ByronHendrick MotorsportsAnduril33Austin HillRichard Childress RacingZone/7-Eleven34Todd GillilandFront Row Motorsportsgener8tor35Riley Herbst23XI RacingMonster Energy38Zane SmithFront Row MotorsportsVermeer Midwest41Cole CusterHaas Factory TeamHaas/Andy’s Custard42John Hunter NemechekLegacy Motor ClubDollar Tree43Erik JonesLegacy Motor ClubAdvent Health44J.J. YeleyNY Racing Team45Tyler Reddick23XI RacingJordan Brand47Ricky Stenhouse Jr.Hyak MotorsportsPylon Aviation48Alex BowmanHendrick MotorsportsAlly51Cody WareRick Ware RacingSuper.com54Ty GibbsJoe Gibbs RacingMonster Energy60Ryan PreeceRFK RacingMariano’s/Athletic Brewing67Corey Heim23XI RacingShield AI71Michael McDowellSpire MotorsportsVeterans 1001/Delaware Life77Carson HocevarSpire MotorsportsZeigler Auto Group88Connor ZilischTrackhouse RacingRed Bull97Shane van GisbergenTrackhouse RacingSuperFile2026 eero 400 entry list
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NASCAR In-Season Challenge bracket and matchups for Chicagoland
Chicagoland is the second round of the In-Season Challenge, which is back for a second season.
Taking a page out of the NBA’s book, NASCAR added the In-Season Challenge with a knockout-style bracket and a cash prize for the winner after five weeks. Sixteen drivers are still in the bracket, with eight head-to-head matchups at Chicagoland. Drivers who finish better in their matchup Sunday will advance, and the bracket will continue over five rounds with the final at Indianapolis on July 26.
Here’s the bracket and matchups for Chicagoland:
NASCARNASCAR
The 2026 NASCAR In-Season Challenge bracket continues with Round 2 at Chicagoland.
NASCAR Chicagoland picks and predictions
Alex Bowman won the last race at Chicagoland, but a lot has changed since 2019.
Denny Hamlin, Kyle Larson and Ryan Blaney tested at the track earlier this year, which should give them an advantage heading into the weekend.
Hamlin is leading the points standings and has been the quickest driver all season at this track type. Now 45 years old, he won at Chicagoland in 2015 and is one of the few drivers with plenty of race experience at the track.
Larson was second at this track in 2018 and 2019 before it was cut from the schedule. Despite his year-plus winless streak, the defending series champion could be poised to get back to victory lane on Sunday.
Blaney is the longer shot of these three, but he’s been steady all season long. He has a series-best 13 top-10s in 2026, plus he has four races of experience at Chicagoland.
Beyond those three, Tyler Reddick, Chase Elliott and Christopher Bell should challenge for the win. Reddick and Bell have never ran a Cup race at Chicagoland, but they’ve been quick at 1.5-mile tracks this season and Toyota power should help them to a strong starting spot. Elliott won at a similar track in Texas this spring and has two top-fives in his four Chicagoland starts.
Get to know NASCAR driver Ryan Blaney.
NASCAR past winners, race history for Chicagoland
Just three of the 39 drivers in the field are past winners at Chicagoland.
Brad Keselowski (2012 and 2014) is the only multi-time winner, with Hamlin (2015) and Bowman (2019) winning once each. Seventeen of the 39 drivers have never competed in a Cup race at the track.