A Midwestern Comeback
NASCAR made its long‑awaited comeback to the 1.5‑mile oval in Joliet, Illinois, this past July, marking the first time the track has hosted a national‑series weekend since 2019.
The 2026 edition, held from July 3‑5, brought together the ARCA Menards Series, the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series and the premier Cup Series in a three‑day celebration of speed and spectacle.
Fans were treated to a full slate of on‑track activity, including practice, qualifying and three marquee races, with the Cup Series eero 400 closing the weekend at 6 p.m. Eastern on TNT Sports.
Family Fun and Live Music
The weekend embraced a family‑friendly vibe, offering free tickets for children twelve and under on Friday and showcasing the Busch Light Summer Music Series, which featured performances by country star Mitchell Tenpenny.
Despite a brief weather delay that shifted Saturday’s practice to the afternoon and led to the cancellation of Saturday qualifying, the schedule held firm, allowing the ARCA Menards 150 to run at 8 p.m. Eastern and the O’Reilly Auto Parts 300 to follow on Saturday evening.
Connor Zilisch claimed pole position for the O’Reilly Auto Parts race, and driver introductions for the Cup event began at 4:25 p.m. Central, building anticipation for the final showdown.