The Cup Series Returns to Chicagoland: Drivers to Watch in the 2026 Eero 400
For the first time since 2019, the NASCAR Cup Series will head to Chicagoland Speedway in Joliet, Illinois, for the Eero 400. NASCAR announced in July of 2025 that they would not return to the Chicago Street Course in 2026, but would remain in the Chicago area. 10 drivers on the 39-car entry list are racing here for the first time in their careers. While these drivers will be learning the track for the first time, several contenders have raced at Chicagoland over a half-dozen times. Here are four drivers to watch in this weekend's race.
Denny Hamlin
Denny Hamlin has been on a tear lately in the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series season. Hamlin has won the last three oval races at Nashville, Pocono, and Michigan. At Chicagoland, the current points leader has one win back in 2015, an impressive feat since it was done while he had a torn ACL. The 20-year veteran has three top fives and seven top 10s at the track in his career. The three-time Daytona 500 Champion will be a hard driver to top this Sunday.
Ty Gibbs
Hamlin isn’t the only Joe Gibbs Racing driver who could be a force at Chicagoland. Gibbs’ own grandson, Ty Gibbs, is currently in the best season of his career, with a win, seven Top fives, and 11 Top 10s. With a third-place finish at Sonoma, the 23-year-old moved up to fourth place in the standings. The four-year veteran is making his first Chicagoland start, but has found success at a similar track in Las Vegas, where he finished fifth back in March. Gibbs could be one of the sleeper picks to grab the victory this weekend.
Tyler Reddick
Sticking with Toyota, Tyler Reddick has been the other driver red-hot in 2026. The 2026 Daytona 500 Champion still leads the series with five wins. However, as of late, Reddick has been dealing with on-track issues that have slowed him down. He lost power steering at Sonoma, resulting in a miserable 36th-place finish and eliminating him from NASCAR’s in-season tournament. Chicagoland is the perfect place for the 45 Camry to get back up to speed. It will be Reddick’s first time at Chicagoland since the O’Reilly Auto Parts series race in 2019.
Kyle Larson
Kyle Larson has one of the best records at Chicagoland of any driver in the field. He has not won at the track, but has finished second in 2014, 2018, and 2019, and fifth in 2017. In 2018, Larson was one corner away from the win, but the late Kyle Busch bumped him out of the way in the track's most memorable finish. The defending Cup Series Champion has yet to score a win in 2026 after 17 races. Look for Larson to be in the mix for another great finish in the return to the mile-and-a-half track.
It has been seven years since the Cup Series last raced in Joliet. The field, cars, and format have all completely changed since 2019. Despite having different levels of experience at the track, these four drivers will be ones to watch on Sunday. The race on July 5th, 2026, at 5 PM will be the next in the final two months before the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series Chase begins.
