A powerful storm system swept through Joliet, Illinois, on Friday, forcing NASCAR to halt its highly anticipated return to Chicagoland Speedway. The inclement weather not only delayed the weekend’s schedule but also led to the cancellation of the O'Reilly Auto Parts Series practice session that was originally slated for Friday afternoon.
With qualifying rounds unable to proceed, NASCAR announced that the starting lineup for Saturday’s O'Reilly Series race will be determined by the official NASCAR rulebook. The decision underscores the series’ reliance on established protocols when weather prevents traditional on‑track determination of grid positions.
The ARCA Menards Series race, scheduled for an 8 p.m. ET green flag on Friday evening, also faced significant weather headwinds. Although ARCA qualifying was called off, the series managed to conduct limited practice earlier in the day, giving teams a brief window to prepare for the upcoming event.
This weekend marks NASCAR’s first visit to the 1.5‑mile venue since 2019, heightening the significance of the rescheduled sessions. Fans and competitors alike are watching closely to see how the storm’s aftermath will shape the competitive landscape of the upcoming Cup Series race.
Implications for Sunday’s Cup Lineup
If NASCAR ultimately cancels Cup Series qualifying while still holding practice, the starting order for Sunday’s eero 400 will again be set by the rulebook. In that scenario, Ty Gibbs and Kyle Larson would inherit the front‑row positions, a prospect that has generated considerable buzz among analysts and supporters.
Meanwhile, the O'Reilly Auto Parts Series will see Connor Zilisch start on the pole, with rookie Brent Crews alongside him on the front row. Both drivers expressed optimism that the adjusted schedule would still deliver an exciting competition despite the weather‑induced changes.