Dale Earnhardt Jr. cast fresh doubt on Chicagoland Speedway’s future on the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series schedule just days before the track’s long-awaited return. The seven-year hiatus ended on July 4 weekend with the eero 400, but Earnhardt Jr. warned the track’s survival hinges on sales that have already underperformed.

What happened?

NASCAR brought Cup cars back to Joliet, Illinois, for the first time since 2019, reviving a track that had been dormant since its last Cup race on September 15, 2019. Earnhardt Jr., now an analyst for TNT’s coverage, called the venue “pretty badass” but immediately flagged red flags. “I’m excited,” he said. “I heard ticket sales aren’t going well.” The race weekend kicked off with Saturday qualifying at 3:00 p.m. ET on TruTV and culminated in the main event at 6:00 p.m. ET Sunday on TNT.

Why it matters for Dale Earnhardt Jr.

Earnhardt Jr. tied Chicagoland’s fate to economics, not nostalgia. “We haven’t even gotten it back yet,” he said. “We already lost it. You know, [ticket sales is] probably why we stopped going.” He argued that attendance—not track quality—dictates permanence. “If it’s selling out, it would have never left,” he added. The comments arrive as NASCAR grapples with venue viability across its circuit, where land values and fan turnout often outweigh racing heritage.

The track itself poses a stern test for the Next Gen car. Earnhardt Jr. expects “fireworks” from the July 4 weekend’s 670-horsepower showdown on an aging surface. “They’ll be racing from the apron to the wall,” he said. “It’s got some really nasty bumps and difficult things that are going to be really hard for the Next Gen car.” He singled out the tunnel bump between turns three and four as a particular hazard, predicting “some accidents or some guys busting their ass.”

What comes next?

Chicagoland’s 2026 future remains unclear. Earnhardt Jr. suggested the track could exit the calendar if sales don’t rebound. “If the tickets aren’t selling,” he noted, “that’s probably if it doesn’t stay on the calendar.” Meanwhile, the sport eyes Chicago Street Course’s return, complicating the calculus for traditional ovals like Joliet.

For now, drivers will tackle a track that hasn’t hosted Cup since Tony Stewart won the 2019 My Bariatric Solution 400 on September 15. With Next Gen cars still adapting to aging asphalt, Earnhardt Jr. expects mechanical mayhem. “Especially,” he said, “there’s a tunnel bump in three and four that’s pretty bad. I think it’ll be pretty badass.”