JOLIET, Ill. — As NASCAR returns to Chicagoland Speedway for the first time since 2019, Richard Childress Racing arrives with one of the strongest track records among organizations in the garage and a lineup hoping to capitalize on the 1.5-mile oval’s long-awaited return.

RCR owns two NASCAR Cup Series victories at Chicagoland, both delivered by Kevin Harvick during the track’s early years. Harvick won the inaugural Cup race at the facility in 2001 and followed it with another victory in 2002, helping establish Chicagoland as one of the organization’s most successful intermediate tracks.

In 58 Cup Series starts at the speedway, RCR has recorded two wins, 10 top-five finishes, 20 top-10s and two pole positions.

Leading the Cup effort this weekend is Austin Dillon, who returns to a track where he won the pole position in NASCAR’s most recent Cup event at Chicagoland in 2019.

“I can’t wait to get to Chicagoland Speedway,” Dillon said. “It’s been a solid mile-and-a-half track for us. I love the character the place has. It reminds me of Las Vegas Motor Speedway. It reminds me of a big fast mile-and-a-half.”

Dillon owns six Cup starts at Chicagoland and finished 10th in the track’s last Cup race. His résumé at the facility extends far beyond the Cup Series. The 2011 Truck Series champion won at Chicagoland in that series and boasts an impressive average finish of 4.0 in six NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series starts, with five top-five finishes.

This weekend’s No. 3 Chevrolet carries additional significance as Dillon’s Dow Salutes Veterans Aptiv Chevrolet honors veterans and active-duty military personnel as part of America’s 250th anniversary celebration. The special paint scheme features the names of 1,438 veterans and service members and continues a partnership between Dow and RCR that began more than a decade ago.

Joining Dillon in the Cup Series is Austin Hill, who will pilot the No. 33 zone x 7-Eleven Chevrolet.

Although Hill will be making his first Cup start at Chicagoland, he enters the weekend with confidence. In three previous NASCAR national and ARCA starts at the Illinois oval, Hill has never finished outside the top 10.

“Fifty minutes of practice in both series is going to be huge,” Hill said. “It will be nice to go make a run, come in, and if you need to change a rear spring or front-end stuff, you have the option to open up your playbook.”

Hill’s previous Chicagoland experience includes Truck Series competition, where he earned a pair of top-10 finishes and won a pole position in 2019.

On the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series side, RCR brings two contenders seeking strong runs at the returning speedway.

Jesse Love will make his first Chicagoland start while continuing a consistent season that has him second in the championship standings. The young driver carries a 10.7 average finish, fourth-best among full-time competitors.

“I’ve really enjoyed the track on the simulator and watching races there in the past,” Love said. “I’m looking forward to this weekend. Anytime we go to a mile-and-a-half racetrack, I’m excited.”

Hill will also compete in Saturday’s O’Reilly Auto Parts Series event, driving the No. 21 Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen Chevrolet. The 16-time series winner believes Chicagoland’s aging surface could create multiple racing grooves and reward drivers who adapt to tire wear.

RCR also boasts a rich history in the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series at Chicagoland, with four victories in 62 starts. Elliott Sadler delivered the organization’s most recent victory there in 2012, while Harvick and Johnny Sauter also contributed wins.