Chicagoland Speedway returns to the Cup Series schedule
It is finally happening: the Cup Series is returning to the 1.5-mile Chicagoland Speedway in Joliet, Illinois, for the first time since 2019. Time flies, but seven years is an eternity in this sport. Incredibly, 46% of the current field will be making their Cup debut at this track, with only 10 drivers having five or more career starts there. Even more daunting, nobody has ever turned a wheel at this facility in the current Next Gen machine.
Looking back at its history from 2001 to 2019, Chicagoland was never a track where you could simply qualify on pole and cruise. Winners averaged a starting position of 14.6, meaning those who took the checkered flag often fought their way up from deeper in the pack. With a relatively low average Driver Rating for winners at 129.2, it is clear that dominance early in the race was not the secret formula. Instead, this track favors the thinkers—those who can manage tires over long green-flag runs and execute brilliant strategy.
Only three drivers in the field—Brad Keselowski, Denny Hamlin, and Alex Bowman—have tasted victory here previously. While names like Hamlin, Kyle Larson, and Tyler Reddick are expected to shine on this intermediate layout, the race remains wide open for those who can navigate its multiple grooves late. It is a classic tactical puzzle where the win is earned by being smarter than the rest, not just faster.
