“How does it feel when there’s no destination that’s too far? And somewhere on the way you might find out who you are. Living in America!” – James Brown, Living in America
There is not a single sport more American than NASCAR. Stock cars and oval racing are not found at this scale anywhere else on Earth, so it is only fitting that NASCAR comes to the country’s heartland for the weekend of her 250th birthday. Chicagoland Speedway makes its return to the NASCAR schedule, marking the first event at the 1.5-mile tri-oval since 2019.
A comeback seven years in the making, the notebook for this race is wide open. Only 19 drivers entered for the Cup race this weekend participated in the 2019 event, and multiple drivers in the field have never made a start at the track in any series. Not to mention, the Cup cars handle much differently today compared to seven years ago, and Chicagoland Speedway’s already rough surface has been exposed to the elements for over half a decade and has aged considerably.
If we have anything to go off of, it is the performance on intermediate tracks in 2026, and Toyota is the clear frontrunner. Of the eight races on intermediates this year, (Las Vegas, Darlington, Kansas, Texas, Charlotte, Nashville, Michigan, and Pocono), Toyota has won six. The wins haven’t been evenly dispersed among each Toyota driver however, as Denny Hamlin has four of those six victories on intermediates, and Tyler Reddick has two.
With so much changing in terms of handling and performance, I would avoid setting a lineup based solely on results from former Chicagoland races. Drivers like Joey Logano, Alex Bowman, and Brad Keselowski have historically finished well in Joliet, and while I wouldn’t avoid them completely, their results have been spotty at intermediate tracks in 2026 and should be used with caution.
This lineup is based around Toyota speed, and a few undervalued drivers who can sneak a good result if things go their way.
DraftKings NASCAR Fantasy Forecast
Denny Hamlin $11,000
The most difficult decision when constructing this lineup was choosing between Hamlin and Reddick. Reddick is priced at $10,700, and while he is a good pick as well, I couldn’t justify picking both when they are priced that high. While they are similarly matched, I gave Hamlin the nod. The current points leader, Hamlin has won the last three consecutive oval races.
Hamlin has been the most consistently fast driver of the season. He leads the field in average finishing position and laps led in 2026.
I know we discussed how so much has changed since the last time NASCAR visited Chicagoland, but any experience is experience nonetheless. Hamlin leads the field in starts at Chicagoland with 14.
If you so choose, Reddick is not a bad pick by any means, but Hamlin is an absolute must for this weekend.
Christopher Bell $10,000
Though still a high value, Bell’s price is just low enough that the rest of the lineup won’t have to suffer. One of the drivers in the field that has never raced in Cup at Chicagoland, Bell’s résumé in the current Cup Series car at intermediates is promising. This year alone, he has runner-up finishes at Charlotte and Nashville, and a fourth-place effort at Las Vegas. He was fighting for the win late at Kansas, but an incident in overtime took Bell out of contention.
Still recovering from a fractured wrist, Bell finished fifth last week at Sonoma. From a visual standpoint, his injury has not slowed him down in the slightest.
To me, Bell is a driver who excels in races with high amounts of tire wear. Assuming Chicagoland’s old surface acts like a cheese grater on tires, expect to see Bell near the front by the end of a run.
Bubba Wallace $8,500
It is hard to make a case against almost any Toyota this weekend, and Wallace is no different. Wallace finished ninth at Las Vegas and Texas earlier in the year, and he finished top-five at Kansas and Michigan this season.
Wallace does have a win at a mile-and-a-half, coming in 2022’s second race at Kansas. His results in the last few races have been up and down, but Chicagoland could be a return to form to get his season back in the right direction.
Erik Jones $7,200
Whether it was Toyota’s success, major improvements from Legacy Motor Club, or something else entirely, Jones has become a resident member of the top 15. He hasn’t finished worse than 13th on an oval since Talladega in April. The highlight of Jones’ season came in early June, when he finished second at Michigan. He backed it up the following week with a sixth-place finish at Pocono. The No. 43 has speed.
Priced at only $7,200, Jones is a great value pick. He isn’t a favorite to win on Sunday, but I’d say there is a decent chance he does well.
Ryan Preece $6,700
Preece has been in a slump when it comes to ovals as of late, but Chicagoland is an opportunity for the team to bounce back. Las Vegas and Kansas saw the No. 60 finish 11th in both races, along with a 14th at Texas.
Even with Preece’s last four races on ovals resulting in no finish better than 28th, a pair of decent results from Coronado and Sonoma sets Preece up with some momentum heading into Joliet.
Before Charlotte, Preece’s worst finish on an intermediate was 14th. If Preece can stay out of trouble, he can get a good finish.
Zane Smith $6,600
Smith has been on quite the run as of late. Beginning at the end of May, Smith finished 10th at Charlotte, ninth at Nashville running an alternate strategy, ran well at Michigan before a race-ending spin, and finished fourth at Coronado.
Despite Ford’s struggles in 2026, Smith is having his best season yet. With his momentum, I see Smith again giving Ford something to build upon.
Top Bets of the Week
Bubba Wallace +2800
In a race that seems to be Toyota’s to lose, why not Wallace? Kansas, a track very similar in shape and banking to Chicagoland, is among Wallace’s best since the introduction of the seventh generation Cup car. A third-place recently at Michigan and a fifth-place finish at Kansas earlier in the year makes Wallace a threat to win on Sunday.
Dark Horse of the Week: Erik Jones +5500
With the direction the No. 43 is going, I can see them winning a race within a year. It may take some special circumstances, but Jones is fast enough where he can outrace a large portion of the field on pace.
Jones’ success at high tire wear tracks like Darlington gives him an edge. Give Jones a good car and a long run, and we will see the No. 43 inch its way to the top.
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