Practice Session Highlights
The NASCAR Cup Series returned to Chicagoland Speedway on a Saturday afternoon, marking the first on‑track activity at the 1.5‑mile oval since the spring of 2019. The session served as a crucial warm‑up for teams and drivers ahead of the Sunday afternoon race.
Riley Herbst emerged as the fastest driver, posting a lap of 30.326 seconds at an average speed of 178.065 miles per hour. His performance set the benchmark for the rest of the field.
Erik Jones, however, encountered trouble early in the run, sustaining damage that forced him to be pulled to the garage for repairs. The incident underscored the unpredictable nature of short‑track racing.
Bubba Wallace secured second place with a lap of 30.349 seconds, while Kyle Larson and Denny Hamlin were closely matched at 30.358 seconds each. Young talent Ty Gibbs followed in fifth, posting a 30.379‑second effort.
The remainder of the top ten was rounded out by Corey Heim, Austin Cindric, Tyler Reddick, Carson Hocevar and Chris Buescher, each posting times between 30.385 and 30.476 seconds. Veteran Chase Elliott finished eleventh, and Brad Keselowski placed twelfth, rounding out a competitive midfield.
Further down the order, drivers such as Zane Smith, Chase Briscoe, Michael McDowell and William Byron continued to fine‑tune their setups, while a mix of experienced and rookie competitors filled the remaining spots. The practice concluded with a full field of thirty‑seven entries, highlighting the depth of the NASCAR roster.