NASCAR returns to Chicagoland Speedway this weekend for the first time since 2019, and while the 1.5-mile oval has been absent from the Cup Series schedule for seven years, the tire package won’t be unfamiliar to teams.
Goodyear has selected a proven setup for NASCAR’s return to Chicagoland, giving teams a combination they have already raced on multiple intermediate tracks this season. Here’s everything fans need to know before the green flag.
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Why NASCAR chose this tire setup
Although NASCAR hasn’t raced at Chicagoland Speedway since Alex Bowman won the track’s most recent Cup race in 2019, teams already have plenty of data for this weekend’s tire package.
Rather than introducing a new construction or compound, Goodyear opted for combinations that have already been used successfully during the 2026 season.
The Cup Series will use the same tire setup that most recently appeared at Nashville Superspeedway. The left-side tire has also seen action this season at Michigan International Speedway and Pocono Raceway.
For the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series, teams will compete on a right-side tire that debuted at Charlotte Motor Speedway earlier this year, paired with a left-side tire that was most recently used at Nashville.
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Goodyear also confirmed that teams in both series will race with inner liners, which are standard on tracks measuring one mile or longer.
Chicagoland test helped shape the weekend
Goodyear’s final tire selection was influenced by NASCAR’s April organizational test at Chicagoland Speedway.
That session featured Cup Series drivers Kyle Larson, Ryan Blaney and Denny Hamlin, representing Chevrolet, Ford and Toyota, respectively. NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series drivers Justin Allgaier and Brandon Jones also participated in the test.
According to Goodyear NASCAR product manager Rick Heinrich, the April session confirmed that the company’s established intermediate-track package was the right choice for NASCAR’s return.
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“Although teams have not raced at Chicagoland Speedway since 2019, they have lots of data on their Goodyear Racing Eagle tire setups for this weekend,” Heinrich said. “The April test gave us valuable information and confirmed that our proven intermediate package is the right choice for this event. With the race falling on the Fourth of July weekend and plenty of excitement around NASCAR’s return to Chicagoland, our focus remains on providing teams with proven performance.”
Tire allotments for Chicagoland weekend
Each Cup Series team will receive 12 total sets of tires:
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Eight new sets for the race
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One qualifying set that transfers to the race
Each NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series team will receive seven total sets:
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One qualifying set that transfers to the race
Using a familiar tire package should help teams quickly find speed when NASCAR returns to Chicagoland Speedway for the first time since 2019, while still providing the tire wear and performance characteristics that competitors have experienced throughout the 2026 season.
