NASCAR drivers tested at Chicagoland Speedway for the first time in seven years, expressing excitement about returning. Ryan Blaney and Kyle Larson are also open to returning to Road America in Wisconsin.
Key points
NASCAR drivers tested at Chicagoland Speedway for the first time in seven years
Ryan Blaney and Kyle Larson are excited about returning to the track
Chicagoland hosted 33 races from 2001 to 2019
Drivers are open to returning to Road America
Road America is located in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin
JOLIET, IL – NASCAR took another step toward completing its Chicagoland Speedway 360 with cars circling the track for the first time in seven years for two days of testing.
But Ryan Blaney and Kyle Larson would also be quick to raise their hands if the sanctioning body asked for volunteers to go back to their first interim stop, Road America in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin, 190 miles to the north.
Ryan Blaney drives past the main grandstand during a Goodyear tire test Wednesday, April 22, 2026, at Chicagoland Speedway in Joliet, Illinois.
Denny Hamlin drives past the main grandstand during a Goodyear tire test Wednesday, April 22, 2026, at Chicagoland Speedway in Joliet, Illinois.
Kyle Larson drives down pit road to the garage area during a Goodyear tire test Wednesday, April 22, 2026, at Chicagoland Speedway in Joliet, Illinois.
Q&A
Why are NASCAR drivers testing at Chicagoland Speedway?
NASCAR drivers are testing at Chicagoland Speedway to prepare for its return after a seven-year hiatus.
What did Ryan Blaney and Kyle Larson say about Road America?
Ryan Blaney and Kyle Larson expressed their willingness to return to Road America if NASCAR requests it.
How many races were held at Chicagoland Speedway from 2001 to 2019?
Chicagoland Speedway hosted a total of 33 races from 2001 to 2019.
Where is Road America located?
Road America is located in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin, approximately 190 miles north of Chicagoland Speedway.
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Ryan Blaney drives through Turn 4 during a Goodyear tire test Wednesday, April 22, 2026, at Chicagoland Speedway in Joliet, Illinois.
Denny Hamlin drivers through Turn 4 with the Joliet water tower seen in the distance during a Goodyear tire test Wednesday, April 22, 2026, at Chicagoland Speedway in Joliet, Illinois.
Two-time NASCAR champion Kyle Larson speaks with reporters during a break in the Goodyear tire test Wednesday, April 22, 2026, at Chicagoland Speedway in Joliet, Illinois.
NASCAR driver Ryan Blaney speaks with reporters during a break in the Goodyear tire test Wednesday, April 22, 2026, at Chicagoland Speedway in Joliet, Illinois.
Denny Hamlin drivers down pit road toward the garage during a Goodyear tire test Wednesday, April 22, 2026, at Chicagoland Speedway in Joliet, Illinois.
Denny Hamlin drivers down pit road toward the garage during a Goodyear tire test Wednesday, April 22, 2026, at Chicagoland Speedway in Joliet, Illinois.
Kyle Larson drives past the main grandstand during a Goodyear tire test Wednesday, April 22, 2026, at Chicagoland Speedway in Joliet, Illinois.
Denny Hamlin drivers down pit road toward the garage during a Goodyear tire test Wednesday, April 22, 2026, at Chicagoland Speedway in Joliet, Illinois.
Ryan Blaney drives down pit road toward the garage during a Goodyear tire test Wednesday, April 22, 2026, at Chicagoland Speedway in Joliet, Illinois.
Ryan Blaney drives past the main grandstand during a Goodyear tire test Wednesday, April 22, 2026, at Chicagoland Speedway in Joliet, Illinois.
1 / 13
Scenes from NASCAR tire testing for the return to Chicagoland Speedway
Ryan Blaney drives past the main grandstand during a Goodyear tire test Wednesday, April 22, 2026, at Chicagoland Speedway in Joliet, Illinois.
1 / 13
Scenes from NASCAR tire testing for the return to Chicagoland Speedway
Ryan Blaney drives past the main grandstand during a Goodyear tire test Wednesday, April 22, 2026, at Chicagoland Speedway in Joliet, Illinois.
2 / 13
Scenes from NASCAR tire testing for the return to Chicagoland Speedway
Denny Hamlin drives past the main grandstand during a Goodyear tire test Wednesday, April 22, 2026, at Chicagoland Speedway in Joliet, Illinois.
3 / 13
Scenes from NASCAR tire testing for the return to Chicagoland Speedway
Kyle Larson drives down pit road to the garage area during a Goodyear tire test Wednesday, April 22, 2026, at Chicagoland Speedway in Joliet, Illinois.
4 / 13
Scenes from NASCAR tire testing for the return to Chicagoland Speedway
Ryan Blaney drives through Turn 4 during a Goodyear tire test Wednesday, April 22, 2026, at Chicagoland Speedway in Joliet, Illinois.
5 / 13
Scenes from NASCAR tire testing for the return to Chicagoland Speedway
Denny Hamlin drivers through Turn 4 with the Joliet water tower seen in the distance during a Goodyear tire test Wednesday, April 22, 2026, at Chicagoland Speedway in Joliet, Illinois.
6 / 13
Scenes from NASCAR tire testing for the return to Chicagoland Speedway
Two-time NASCAR champion Kyle Larson speaks with reporters during a break in the Goodyear tire test Wednesday, April 22, 2026, at Chicagoland Speedway in Joliet, Illinois.
7 / 13
Scenes from NASCAR tire testing for the return to Chicagoland Speedway
NASCAR driver Ryan Blaney speaks with reporters during a break in the Goodyear tire test Wednesday, April 22, 2026, at Chicagoland Speedway in Joliet, Illinois.
8 / 13
Scenes from NASCAR tire testing for the return to Chicagoland Speedway
Denny Hamlin drivers down pit road toward the garage during a Goodyear tire test Wednesday, April 22, 2026, at Chicagoland Speedway in Joliet, Illinois.
9 / 13
Scenes from NASCAR tire testing for the return to Chicagoland Speedway
Denny Hamlin drivers down pit road toward the garage during a Goodyear tire test Wednesday, April 22, 2026, at Chicagoland Speedway in Joliet, Illinois.
10 / 13
Scenes from NASCAR tire testing for the return to Chicagoland Speedway
Kyle Larson drives past the main grandstand during a Goodyear tire test Wednesday, April 22, 2026, at Chicagoland Speedway in Joliet, Illinois.
11 / 13
Scenes from NASCAR tire testing for the return to Chicagoland Speedway
Denny Hamlin drivers down pit road toward the garage during a Goodyear tire test Wednesday, April 22, 2026, at Chicagoland Speedway in Joliet, Illinois.
12 / 13
Scenes from NASCAR tire testing for the return to Chicagoland Speedway
Ryan Blaney drives down pit road toward the garage during a Goodyear tire test Wednesday, April 22, 2026, at Chicagoland Speedway in Joliet, Illinois.
13 / 13
Scenes from NASCAR tire testing for the return to Chicagoland Speedway
Ryan Blaney drives past the main grandstand during a Goodyear tire test Wednesday, April 22, 2026, at Chicagoland Speedway in Joliet, Illinois.
NASCAR ran 19 Cup Series races at Chicagoland, and what is now the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series raced 24 times. But events scheduled for the 2020 season were canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the NASCAR-owned facility has largely been dormant since.
NASCAR took the Cup Series to Road America in 2021 and ’22 to join what had been a standalone weekend for the second division for 11 seasons. Then at the conclusion of that agreement, both series left for the downtown Chicago street circuit.
Both divisions will race at Chicagoland in 2026 on the Fourth of July weekend.
Larson, the two-time and defending Cup Series champion from Hendrick Motorsports, and 2023 champ Blaney of Penske Racing spoke to reporters during a break on the second day of the Goodyear tire test.
When asked about Road America and their interest in returning, here’s what they said:
Kyle Larson (5) races with Chase Elliott through Turn 6 during the 2021 Jockey Made in America 250 at Road America.
Kyle Larson (5) races with Chase Elliott through Turn 6 during the 2021 Jockey Made in America 250 at Road America.
Kyle Larson
I remember when I would go there back in the Nationwide [now O’Reilly] days, I mean, fans were hanging from the trees watching, and when we went there with Cup, it was kind of the same thing.
I think freshness of the schedule is always good. Like this race, seeing the crowd in the stands just for yesterday’s practice was awesome. So I would imagine the crowd would be big for this first time back, and hopefully, we’ll continue to come back and we can put on a good show.
There’s only so many weeks in the year, so it’s hard to get to all the tracks.
Ryan Blaney
I love Road America personally. I was really excited when they put it on the schedule in ‘21 and ran it for a couple years. … Then [it] went away, but the people up there are awesome. Huge race fans. That’s a gorgeous area. And they always have had multiple series out there, whether it’s the TA cars, us, a couple other things out there.
It’s just a fun weekend obviously, and that was a big racetrack for Menards and that whole family. So I would love to go back there. Mainly for the crowd.
I thought the people, they were really passionate about racing, and I know they were upset that we didn’t go back when we decided to do that. Yeah, that’s a place that I would love to revisit at some point.
