“All you really need is money a mower and a weed whack”: Fans react as NASCAR eyes iconic Speedway return for 2026 schedule

NASCAR could return to Chicagoland Speedway for one of its points-paying events in 2026. Although no official announcement has been made and NASCAR denied comments, fans reacted to the rumor as soon as it surfaced on X (formerly known as Twitter).

Thanks to Sport Business Journal’s Adam Stern, fans are now contemplating the sport’s chances of hosting its first race at the car racing venue in Joliet, Illinois, for the first time since 2021. In one of his recent posts on X, Stern wrote,

“NASCAR has been evaluating a possible return to Chicagoland Speedway for next year, according to people familiar with the matter, and the chances of the move happening are said to be increasing.”

Fans reacted to the news, with one saying that a thorough cleanup is all the 1.5-miler needs to be up and ready for some crude, intermediate racing.

“All you really need is money a mower and a weed whacker and the track is ready to go,” the fan commented.

However, another wrote,

“They are going to have to do a lot of work to get the track back in shape. It has deteriorated a lot and weeds have spring from the ground.”

Here are a few other reactions to Stern’s post:

“Simple answer, yes please. The current car races great on intermediate tracks. I’m sure it wouldn’t be anything different at Chicagoland,” a fan wrote. “So Chicagoland gets to come back but no chance that Kentucky gets a shot in the new car? The two tracks raced exactly the same,” another typed.

Someone said,

“I'm wondering if that is because the road race isn't worth the hassle for the city or for NASCAR yet they don't want to give up the Chicago market.”

For the last three years, NASCAR has had a road course event in the Chicago area. However, the Chicago Street Race isn’t coming back next year. And even if Chicagoland resumes racing, reports suggest that the City of Chicago wants to move the street race to a new date.

Chicagoland was the home to the NASCAR Cup Series Camping World 400 from 2001 to 2019. Former series champion and NHRA icon Tony Stewart won the race three times. Besides active drivers like Brad Keselowski and Kyle Busch, Kevin Harvick and Martin Truex Jr., who are now retired, have won the race twice. Alex Bowman won it once back in 2019.

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NASCAR driver Carson Hocevar recalls his “eerie” Chicagoland outing

Carson Hocevar, driver of the No. 77 Spire Motorsports Chevy, recently visited the Autobahn Country Club members-only road course racetrack, which is about five and a half miles away from Chicagoland Speedway. The Cup Series sophomore loves visiting abandoned racetracks, so he decided to check out Chicagoland as well.

Reportedly, Hocevar’s flight from Kalamazoo to Chicago was delayed, which explains his decision to take the detour. When asked about his trip to Chicagoland, the Portage, Michigan, native said (via Steven Taranto on X),

“I drove over and walked in to see what it looked like up-close. It was cool to see it in-person. It’s kind of an eerie feeling, but I like going to check racetracks out.” “I always find videos of people exploring abandoned stuff is cool, or even movies where they explore the prequels or whatever, where everything is abandoned. I think that’s cool. To me, (old) racetracks are less sketchy and cooler looking. I just like racetracks,” he added.

Hocevar is currently getting ready for this coming weekend’s (Sunday, July 20) race at Dover Motor Speedway. Named the AutoTrader EchoPark Automotive 400, the 400-lap event will be televised on TNT Sports, 2 pm ET onwards. Fans can also listen to its live radio coverage on PRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

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Edited by Tushhita Barua