"A 1.5-mile oval in Joliet, Illinois, that hosted the NASCAR Cup Series every year from 2001 to 2019, went six seasons without a NASCAR national series race, and came back in 2026."
Location: Joliet, Illinois (a southwest suburb of Chicago) Track Type: Paved oval Length: 1.5 miles Surface: Asphalt Banking: 18° (turns) / 11° (frontstretch) / 5° (backstretch) Opened: 2001 First NASCAR Cup Series Race: July 15, 2001 Owner: NASCAR
Quick Answers
How big is Chicagoland Speedway? The oval is 1.5 miles. The turns are banked at 18 degrees, the frontstretch at 11 degrees and the backstretch at 5 degrees.
Where is Chicagoland Speedway? In Joliet, Illinois, a southwest suburb of Chicago.
Who has won the most Cup races at Chicagoland? Tony Stewart, with three (2004, 2007 and 2011). Brad Keselowski has two (2012 and 2014).
How long was NASCAR away from Chicagoland? The Cup Series raced there once a year from 2001 through 2019, 19 races in all. No NASCAR national series raced there from 2020 through 2025. NASCAR returned over Independence Day weekend in 2026.
Who won at Chicagoland in 2026? Brandon Jones won the NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts Series race on July 4, and Chase Briscoe won the NASCAR Cup Series race on July 5. The NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series did not race there in 2026.
When does NASCAR race at Chicagoland in 2027? One weekend. The O'Reilly Series races Saturday, June 26, and the Cup Series races Sunday, June 27.
Chicagoland Speedway Schedule: 2027 NASCAR Dates
| Date | Day | Series |
|---|---|---|
| June 26 | Saturday | NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts Series |
| June 27 | Sunday | NASCAR Cup Series |
Dates are from NASCAR's 2027 national series schedule. Race names and start times have not been announced. Confirm at chicagolandspeedway.com before you travel.
Overview
Chicagoland Speedway is a 1.5-mile paved oval in Joliet, Illinois. Its turns are banked at 18 degrees, the frontstretch at 11 degrees and the backstretch at 5 degrees.
The track opened in 2001 and held one Cup Series race every season through 2019. After a six-season absence, NASCAR returned on Independence Day weekend in 2026 with an ARCA Menards Series race on Friday, the O'Reilly Series on Saturday and the Cup Series on Sunday. The Cup race on July 5 was the 20th at the track.
Both 2026 races ended with close finishes. Brandon Jones took the O'Reilly Series lead on the last restart and won in overtime, NASCAR's procedure of adding laps so a race can finish under green-flag conditions. Chase Briscoe held off Christopher Bell by 0.276 seconds in the Cup race the next day.
History
Construction began in 1999, and the track opened in 2001. Kevin Harvick won the first Cup Series race on July 15, 2001, and won again the following year.
The Cup Series raced at Chicagoland once a year for 19 seasons. Alex Bowman won the last race of that run on June 30, 2019, his first career Cup win. No NASCAR national series race was held at the track from 2020 through 2025.
The Cup Series and O'Reilly Series returned on July 4 and 5, 2026. Chicagoland is owned by NASCAR.
Timeline
| Year | Event |
|---|---|
| 1999 | Construction begins |
| 2001 | Track opens; Kevin Harvick wins the first Cup race July 15 |
| 2002 | Harvick wins again, the first back-to-back Cup winner at the track |
| 2016 | Martin Truex Jr. wins the first of back-to-back Cup races |
| 2019 | Alex Bowman wins on June 30, the last Cup race before a six-season break |
| 2026 | NASCAR returns: Brandon Jones wins the O'Reilly Series race July 4 and Chase Briscoe wins the Cup race July 5 |
| 2027 | O'Reilly Series and Cup Series scheduled for June 26 and 27 |
Key Drivers
Tony Stewart, three Cup wins (2004, 2007, 2011), the most at the track.
Kevin Harvick, winner of the first two Cup races at Chicagoland (2001 and 2002).
Brad Keselowski, two Cup wins (2012 and 2014).
Martin Truex Jr., back-to-back Cup wins (2016 and 2017). Harvick and Truex are the only drivers to win consecutive Cup races at the track.
Kyle Larson, the best average Cup finish at Chicagoland among drivers with more than one start, 6.2 across his six starts before 2026. He finished 34th in 2026 after spinning into the infield grass.
Denny Hamlin, winner in 2015. He started the 2026 Cup race on the pole and finished third.
Chase Briscoe, winner of the 2026 return race.
2026 at Chicagoland Speedway
NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts Series, Cuervo 300 (Saturday, July 4): Brandon Jones won from the 29th starting spot in the No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota, taking the lead from Chase Elliott on the last restart, in overtime, and beating him by 0.171 seconds. Elliott led a race-high 78 laps, and Jesse Love finished third. It was the eighth O'Reilly Series win of Jones' career.
NASCAR Cup Series, eero 400 (Sunday, July 5): Chase Briscoe won by 0.276 seconds over Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Christopher Bell, and pole winner Denny Hamlin ran third for a Joe Gibbs Racing sweep of the top three. Briscoe led the final 46 laps after a late round of green-flag pit stops. William Byron led a race-high 94 laps and finished fourth. It was Briscoe's first win of the season and the sixth of his Cup career.