A sudden exit from the Illinois oval
Garage 66, the small operation run by former driver Carl Long, confirmed that its No. 66 Ford will not take the green flag at Chicagoland Speedway this weekend. The team cited an inability to secure a primary sponsor as the reason for the withdrawal, a setback that comes after a quiet stretch since its last outing in May.
Josh Bilicki, who was slated to pilot the car for his second race of the 2026 season, will now be left without a ride for the event. The move reduces the Cup Series field to 38 entries, leaving only two other open slots filled by 23XI Racing’s Corey Heim and NY Racing Team’s J.J. Yeley.
Looking ahead
Despite the disappointment, Long’s organization has a history of competing in every race it has entered this year, including the Daytona 500 and Talladega, where its best result to date was a 28th‑place finish with driver Chad Finchum at Nashville. The team says it remains committed to returning to the schedule as soon as a sponsor can be locked in.
Fans hoping to see the No. 66 back on track later this season will have to wait for a future announcement, but the episode underscores the financial fragility that still shadows many mid‑tier NASCAR programs.