A historic comeback at Chicagoland
The NASCAR O'Reilly Series will make its long‑awaited return to Chicagoland Speedway this July, completing the 20th stop of a season that has already visited a dozen venues across the United States. The event, branded as the Cuervo 300, marks the series' first race at the 1.5‑mile oval since the 2019 season, reviving a track that has been absent from the schedule for several years.
Organizers have adopted a distinctive qualifying procedure for the weekend. Each driver will complete a single flying lap, and the fastest times will determine the starting order for the race. This format is intended to add a layer of strategy and excitement, while also ensuring that the grid reflects current form rather than past performance.
The qualifying order and group assignments were released alongside a roster of drivers expected to compete. Names such as JJ Yeley, Joey Gase, and Chase Elliott appear on the list, alongside a deep field that includes Dawson Cram, Tyler Tomassi, Lavar Scott, Kyle Sieg, Rajah Caruth, Leland Honeyman Jr., Blaine Perkins, Brandon Jones, Ryan Ellis, Patrick Staropoli, Dean Thompson, Taylor Gray, Brennan Poole, Garrett Smithley, Jeb Burton, Cole Custer, Jeremy Clements, Josh Bilicki, Harrison Burton, Justin Allgaier, Austin Hill, Nick Sanchez, Ryan Sieg, William Sawalich, Myatt Snider, Sammy Smith, Sam Mayer, Sheldon Creed, Anthony Alfredo, Jesse Love, Parker Retzlaff, Corey Day, Carson Kvapil, Brent Crews, and Connor Zilisch.
Beyond the on‑track action, the return to Chicagoland underscores NASCAR's broader effort to diversify its calendar and bring racing back to historic venues that have strong regional fan bases. The series hopes the Cuervo 300 will generate renewed interest among Midwest spectators and provide a fresh narrative for teams as they battle for playoff positioning in the latter half of the season.