NASCAR returning to Chicagoland Speedway, not downtown Chicago, in 2027: Sources

NASCAR will return to Chicagoland Speedway in 2027 and will not race on a street circuit in downtown Chicago next year, sources familiar with the development have told The Athletic.

The league could make an announcement as soon as Tuesday.

The decision follows protracted negotiations between NASCAR, the city of Chicago and the state of Illinois, with all parties seeking to bring back a premier Cup Series race on a street course constructed along Grant Park, as NASCAR did from 2023-2025. When that three-year contract ended, the parties were unable to agree to an extension for the 2026 season, then turned their attention to bringing the race back in 2027.

NASCAR officials have expressed optimism that the league would again race in the heart of the third-largest city in the United States. Earlier this year, there was increasing confidence that the parties were close to finalizing a deal.

Talks, though, hit an impasse over the costs, including how much the state would contribute, according to sources briefed on the negotiations who were granted anonymity to speak about the evolving plans.

Determining where in the Chicago area it would race has also held up NASCAR from finalizing its 2027 schedule. This also factored into the decision, sources said, as league officials wanted to finish the schedule and instead focus efforts on racing in downtown Chicago in 2028.

With the Chicago Street Race not a viable option, NASCAR is turning again to Chicagoland, located in nearby Joliet, Ill. Throughout the negotiations, the 1.5-mile oval owned by NASCAR was viewed as the de facto backup plan should a return to the downtown circuit not materialize. Chicagoland hosted races for NASCAR’s three national series from 2001-2019, before the league shifted the race weekend elsewhere. The track then went largely dormant.

But in part motivated by how well the current Cup car performs on 1.5-mile ovals, NASCAR decided to return to the track this season. It spent $5 million on improvements to the facility, according to industry sources, then added a race there to its 2026 schedule. That race, held last month, unfolded before a capacity crowd and was greeted with much enthusiasm from drivers who praised how the track raced, particularly its worn surface.

“I thought that was about as good a race as you could get,” said Cup Series driver Chase Briscoe, the race winner. “The cat-and-mouse game, and we were slipping and sliding around — hopefully, you could see it on TV. So excited to be back in Chicagoland. Hopefully we can be back.”

NASCAR has already announced most of its 2027 schedule, and the Chicagoland decision will allow the league to fill in the remaining slots. Many of the unannounced dates are in June and early July, the time when either Chicago race would take place. Because some weekends worked for one but not the other Chicago location, other tracks’ race dates were subject to change depending on the direction NASCAR chose.

On Tuesday, NASCAR announced the 2027 championship would be held at Homestead-Miami Speedway. The remainder of the schedule is expected to be announced in the coming weeks.

NASCAR still could have one purpose-built street course on the 2027 schedule. As The Athletic reported last month, a return trip to Naval Base Coronado, outside of San Diego, remains likely.