Denny Hamlin Grabs Chicagoland Pole by 0.001 Second for 400.5-Mile eero 400

Q: How will Chicagoland's aged, bumpy track challenge the limits of NASCAR's modern Next Gen car in its long-awaited return?

Chicagoland is likely to expose both the strengths and the limits of NASCAR’s Next Gen car because the track has aged into a rough, multi-groove surface with big bumps, widening seams and a notorious “tunnel bump” in Turns 3 and 4. That matters because the Next Gen car is generally stiffer and less forgiving over uneven pavement than earlier Cup cars. Drivers who tested there, including Ryan Blaney, Kyle Larson and Denny Hamlin, have pointed to the track’s “massive bumps” and the risk of a sudden “yikes” moment if the car hits the tunnel bump wrong. On a worn 1.5-mile oval, that can unsettle the rear of the car, punish suspension and tire management, and make clean execution over a long run much harder. The challenge should grow as conditions change. Hamlin said qualifying speed was helped by cooler, sunnier timing before the track heated up. In race trim, July heat and an old surface are expected to increase tire wear and force teams to balance speed against durability. Larson has said the hot conditions should lay down more rubber, which could open more lanes but also make the handling shift through a run. That is why Chicagoland could produce the kind of race many in the garage want from the Next Gen era: drivers moving around the track, searching for grip, making mistakes and being rewarded for car control. If the car can race well here, on a bumpy and imperfect oval, it will be a strong test of how adaptable the platform really is.

Q: Does the sellout crowd at Chicagoland signal that fans prefer traditional ovals over NASCAR's recent focus on temporary street circuits?

Yes — the sellout at Chicagoland is strong evidence that there is substantial fan demand for traditional oval racing, but it does not by itself prove fans prefer ovals over street circuits in every case. The clearest signal is the turnout itself. Chicagoland, a 1.5-mile intermediate oval, returned to the Cup schedule after seven years away and drew a projected sellout of roughly 47,000. That kind of response strengthens the argument that many NASCAR fans still strongly value classic oval venues, especially one with a reputation for multiple grooves, worn pavement and competitive racing. Dale Earnhardt Jr. has said the strong crowd helps NASCAR’s case for bringing the track back. At the same time, the evidence is not exclusive. NASCAR still sees the Chicago market as important for both formats. The Chicago Street Race is expected to return in 2027 after a one-year pause, and league officials continue to value the downtown event for its visibility, media impact and city-market reach. That suggests NASCAR’s scheduling decisions are driven by more than pure fan preference at the gate. So the sellout says this much clearly: there is real, measurable appetite for traditional ovals, and likely more of it than some recent scheduling choices implied. But it is better read as a strong vote for keeping ovals like Chicagoland on the calendar, not as definitive proof that street races should be abandoned.

3 articles · Updated · Oklahoman.com · Jul 5

30.296 seconds put Denny Hamlin on pole for Sunday’s eero 400 at Chicagoland, edging Kyle Larson by 0.001 second in one of the weekend’s tightest qualifying margins.
Kyle Larson will start second, followed by Chris Buescher and Brad Keselowski, with Ty Gibbs rounding out the top five for the 267-lap NASCAR Cup race in Joliet, Illinois.
Michael McDowell’s No. 71 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet failed pre-qualifying inspection multiple times, leaving him without a lap and sending him to the rear of the field.
5:15 p.m. CT is the approximate green-flag time for NASCAR’s first Cup race at Chicagoland in seven years, with TNT carrying the broadcast and HBO Max streaming the full feed.