A weekend of high‑octane competition
NASCAR is set to roar back to Chicagoland Speedway in Joliet, Illinois, for the first time since 2019, bringing a full slate of on‑track action that culminates with the eero 400 on Sunday at 5 p.m. The weekend will feature practice sessions, qualifying rounds and races across the Cup, Xfinity and Camping World Truck series, giving fans a rare chance to experience multiple divisions in one venue.
The return marks a symbolic end to a pandemic‑driven hiatus that saw the track’s 2020 and 2021 events cancelled and the schedule shifted to South Carolina. Organizers announced the comeback last summer, aligning the weekend with the Independence Day holiday period in 2026, but the action will begin this year with a limited‑capacity audience eager to see the cars back on the 2.5‑mile oval.
Fans can secure their seats through the speedway’s official ticket portal, chicagolandspeedway.com, where a range of pricing tiers and camping options are listed. Early‑bird packages have already sold out, prompting the track to open a secondary release ahead of the weekend.
Beyond the racing, the event revives a piece of Illinois motorsport history. Chicagoland Speedway opened in 2001 and had been a staple of the NASCAR calendar until the pandemic forced a temporary relocation to the Carolina track. The 2026 return is being billed as a celebration of the venue’s legacy and its role in the broader American stock‑car tradition.