Dale Jr.: NASCAR's O'Donnell Wants Chicagoland Back for 2027

What Dale Jr. Said

Dale Earnhardt Jr. dropped a scheduling nugget that's got NASCAR fans buzzing: he believes NASCAR COO Steve O'Donnell wants to bring Chicagoland Speedway back into the fold for the 2027 season. Earnhardt, who's become one of the most plugged-in voices in the garage thanks to his podcast and ownership stake in JR Motorsports, floated the idea as part of a broader conversation about where NASCAR's schedule is headed after the street course experiment in downtown Chicago wrapped up.

Why Chicagoland, Why Now

Chicagoland Speedway, the 1.5-mile oval in Joliet, Illinois, hosted Cup Series races from 2001 to 2019 before falling off the schedule when NASCAR pivoted toward road courses, dirt tracks, and eventually the Chicago street race. That street course had a moment — the debut race in 2023 drew big buzz — but weather issues, logistics headaches, and cooling fan enthusiasm have reportedly made NASCAR reconsider its long-term commitment to downtown Chicago.

Bringing back Chicagoland would mark a return to a more traditional intermediate track, the kind NASCAR has been gradually reintroducing as it balances its "variety" push with fan demand for consistent, competitive racing. Drivers have long praised Chicagoland's high-banked, multi-groove racing surface as one of the better 1.5-mile tracks on the old schedule.

What Comes Next

Nothing's official yet — this is Earnhardt Jr. reading tea leaves based on conversations within the industry, not a confirmed NASCAR announcement. But Earnhardt's track record of insider info means this is worth watching closely as NASCAR typically finalizes and releases its following year's schedule in the fall.

If Chicagoland does return for 2027, it would likely mean the street course either gets scaled back to a rotating slot or gets dropped entirely, since NASCAR has shown little appetite for expanding the schedule beyond 36-38 points races. That sets up an interesting subplot: will Chicago keep its street race identity, revert to the oval, or somehow juggle both in future years?

The Bigger Picture

This fits into a larger trend of NASCAR reassessing its post-pandemic schedule experiments. Tracks like North Wilkesboro and Iowa Speedway have found new life, while other additions have been quietly phased out. Chicagoland's potential return would be another sign that NASCAR is willing to admit when a new venue isn't performing as hoped and pivot back to fan favorites with a proven racing product.

For now, keep an eye on official NASCAR scheduling announcements later this year. If O'Donnell really is pushing for Chicagoland's comeback, expect confirmation to land alongside the rest of the 2027 slate.