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Dale Earnhardt Jr. teases major NASCAR schedule news following return to Chicagoland

Nick Profile Picby: Nick Geddes07/30/25NickGeddesNews
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Kristin Enzor/For IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The 2026 NASCAR schedule is beginning to take shape. Last week, it was the news of NASCAR bringing all three of its national series to Naval Base Coronado in San Diego.

Jordan Bianchi of The Athletic then reported Wednesday that NASCAR won’t return to Mexico City next season. Chicagoland Speedway, which last hosted a Cup Series race in 2019, is expected to take its spot on the schedule. Dale Earnhardt Jr. may not be an insider, but he’s hearing things.

“And this ain’t the last big domino to fall I hear,” Earnhardt wrote on X.

The San Diego street course and Chicagoland are replacing the Chicago Street Race and Mexico City, respectively. NASCAR previously announced that the season finale will take place at Homestead-Miami Speedway, switching places with Phoenix Raceway. The season-opening Clash exhibition is returning to Bowman Gray Stadium.

Beyond that, NASCAR has explored the possibility of bringing its show to Franklin Field in Philadelphia. Circuit Gilles Villeneuve in Montreal has also been rumored for a return to the schedule, at least in the Xfinity and Truck Series.

NASCAR 2026 schedule looking to have several changes

NASCAR unveiled the 2025 schedule in late August of last year, so we’ll know pretty soon the full 38-week schedule. For now, fans can look forward to the return of the 1.5-mile Chicagoland oval. The Next Gen car generally pairs well with intermediate tracks such as Chicagoland, and its return should be popular among drivers.

“It’s awesome; it’s such a cool track,” Joey Logano said last month. “We bring everything else back these days, let’s bring that one back. That’d be cool.”

Chicagoland hosted an annual Cup race from 2001-2019. Tony Stewart won the race three times (2004, 2007 and 2011), and four drivers won the race twice. Those four drivers are Kevin Harvick (2001, 2002), Brad Keselowski (2012, 2014), Martin Truex Jr. (2016, 2017) and Kyle Busch (2008, 2018). Alex Bowman won the last race in 2019. The 2020 was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.