The NASCAR Cup Series is set to make its long‑awaited return to Chicagoland Speedway this weekend, bringing the series back to the 1.5‑mile intermediate oval after a seven‑year absence.
Qualifying will follow a streamlined format: a single round in which each driver completes one timed lap, with the order determined by a two‑variable metric introduced in 2025 that blends practice speeds and prior race performance.
A New Qualifying Paradigm
The metric combines each driver’s fastest lap from the final practice session with a weighted factor based on points accumulated in the previous two races, rewarding both recent form and outright speed.
Drivers will have only one chance to set their time, making every minute count and intensifying the battle for pole position.
The track, located in Joliet, Illinois, has not hosted a Cup Series race since 2019, when the COVID‑19 pandemic forced the cancellation of the scheduled event and led to a temporary replacement in 2020 that never materialized.
Sunday's race will kick off the second half of the 36‑race 2026 season, marking the first of eight events that will determine the regular‑season playoffs.
It also serves as the second contest in the five‑race In‑Season Challenge tournament, a new points‑based series that pits drivers against one another for additional bonuses.
Fans can expect a competitive atmosphere as the new qualifying metric may reshuffle the usual order, adding an extra layer of strategy to the weekend.