Overtime Thriller at Chicagoland
The NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts Series rolled into Chicagoland Speedway on July 4, 2026, but the event was postponed by a severe storm that swept through the Joliet area, pushing the start back by more than four hours.
When the green flag finally dropped, the competition was fierce, and a late caution set the stage for a dramatic overtime restart that would decide the winner.
Chase Elliott, piloting the No. 88 JR Motorsports Chevrolet, had seized the lead earlier with a daring four‑wide maneuver on a previous restart, but on the overtime lap Brandon Jones, driving the No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota, out‑duelled Elliott to claim the checkered flag.
The final couple of laps were packed with side‑by‑side battles, and the race saw a shuffle among the top finishers, with Jesse Love completing the podium in third aboard the No. 2 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet.
Brent Crews finished fourth in the No. 19 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota, while Austin Hill rounded out the top five driving the No. 21 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet. Both drivers represented high‑profile programs that have become staples in the series.
The full results list a deep field of competitors, including names such as Justin Allgaier, Taylor Gray, Sam Mayer, Cole Custer, Connor Zilisch, Carson Kvapil, Nick Sanchez, Sammy Smith, Parker Retzlaff, Harrison Burton, Sheldon Creed, Dean Thompson, Garrett Smithley, Leland Honeyman, Ryan Ellis, Myatt Snider, Rajah Caruth, Brennan Poole, Anthony Alfredo, Patrick Staropoli, Lavar Scott, William Sawalich, Kyle Sieg, Ryan Sieg, Blaine Perkins, Tyler Tomassi, Joey Gase, Jeremy Clements, Josh Bilicki, JJ Yeley, and Dawson Cram, each piloting cars fielded by a roster of teams ranging from Joe Gibbs Racing and JR Motorsports to smaller outfits like Mike Harmon Racing and Jeremy Clements Racing.