A Return After Seven Years
The upcoming Cuervo 300 will mark the series' long‑awaited comeback to Chicagoland Speedway, a venue that last hosted a NASCAR event in 2019. The race is slated for Saturday at 5:30 p.m. Eastern Time and will be aired live on The CW, giving viewers a chance to see the track's unique layout under the lights.
Friday’s practice session was washed out by rain, forcing the cancellation of qualifying and leaving teams without the usual data set. Cup drivers who managed a brief run reported a pronounced tire fall‑off, suggesting that strategy will play a critical role when the green flag drops.
Points and Prizes on the Line
The 200‑lap event is divided into three stages — 45 laps, another 45 laps and a final 110‑lap sprint. That structure creates 90 opportunities for fastest‑lap points and 50 chances to earn laps‑led bonuses, making every segment a potential point‑collecting moment.
Historical data from the past five races at the track show an average of 5.6 cautions covering 26.6 laps, indicating that caution periods could dramatically influence stage outcomes and overall strategy.