“Our fans have been asking for a race in Joliet for the past several years,” said NASCAR executive vice president and chief venue and racing innovation officer Ben Kennedy as he announced the triumphant return of Chicagoland Speedway to the Cup Series calendar. It was the first time he publicly acknowledged the push to revive the 1.5-mile oval that had become a rallying cry among longtime fans.

But the one that followed was nothing short of a schedule bombshell. The NASCAR 2026 Cup Series Calendar blends in innovation with nostalgia, street racing abroad, Naval Base Coronado in San Diego, and the revival of Chicagoland, a hallmark of bold territory. Amid the fan buzz and widespread shock, Kennedy has become the tour’s architect, soothing parts for both new and researched venues while navigating the immense logistics, expectations, and strategy that make or break a race weekend.

Ben Kennedy sounds off on improvements amid the revival of Chicagoland

The 2026 season is going to be one for the ages. NASCAR is mixing bold new ideas with beloved throwbacks, a first-ever race on an active US Navy base paired with the role of a classic 1.5-mile oval, making its comeback. First, the military base circuit: NASCAR is heading to Naval Base Coronado in San Diego for Independence Day weekend, staging street course events for all three national series: the Cup, the Xfinity, and the Truck Series.

It’ll be the sport’s first race on an active military installation, keeping the July 4-5 slot formerly used by the Chicago Street race and celebrating both the Navy’s 250th anniversary and America’s Semiquincentennial. Planning is already in motion, with NASCAR detailing course layout and logistics work and teasing a spectacle that blends coastal scenery with serious speed.

But a revival of an old, unforgotten track is back. The Chicagoland Speedway returns to the Cup schedule in July 2026, ending a seven-year hiatus for the Joliet, Illinois, 1.5-mile oval that hosted car races from 2001 to 2019. NASCAR says the venue is relatively race-ready, but a punch list awaits: fresh paint, grandstand cleanup, etc. Chicagoland returns for a wild post-2019 journey for the facility.

Speaking on Stackin’ Pennies with Corey Lajoie, Ben Kennedy confessed to the efforts of reviving Chicagoland. He said, “I’m gonna have to go with the military base. A military base is a little more unique. We’re more used to bringing tracks back to life, like we’re gonna do. For that one as well, you know our fans have been asking about it. And if you look at the racing product we’ve had — especially on the mile-and-a-half tracks — it’s been really strong with the Next Gen car. Our fans have been asking to return to Chicagoland, so yes, we’re gonna have to make some improvements to it: dust off the seats, put on a fresh coat of paint.”

During this downtime, the track served unconventional purposes yet managed to keep its core infrastructure intact. Local leaders have framed 2026 as a homecoming for the region, while NASCAR leadership has pushed back on splashy renovation cost rumors of approximately $4M, focusing instead on practical upgrades to get the place humming again.

Kennedy added, “The great news is we’ve been out there a few times, and the place looks very similar to what it did in 2019. We’ll make some renovations, a couple of enhancements, and improvements to it. Honestly, I couldn’t think of a better place to be on July 4th weekend. Being in the Midwest, heartland America, with the huge camping crowd we’re gonna have out there — it feels like a great place to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the country. It’s gonna be awesome.”

Zooming out, the broader 2026 shuffle keeps NASCAR anchored in the Midwest on Independence Day weekend, only now with Coronado taking over the street race mantle while Chicagoland welcomes the oval action later in July. Put it together and you have a season built for spectacle. AV base street race with patriotic pageantry, a beloved Midwestern oval roaring back to life, and a refreshed championship stage in South Florida. If the goal is to thrill fans and modernize the calendar without losing the NASCAR soul, 2026 is aiming squarely at the sweet spot.

Ben Kennedy pushes for a first-class experience amid track revamps

Chicagoland Speedway and Homestead-Miami Speedway are both about to get some serious TLC before welcoming the Cup Series back in 2026, according to NASCAR executive Ben Kennedy. Kennedy revealed that the facility development team has already made several trips to the 1.5-mile Chicagoland track. Located in Joliet, Illinois, the venue last saw a series of action in 2019, but its history with the old stretches back to 2001.

He shared, “I think the good news is it’s relatively race-ready. We’ll probably have to replace some of the SAFER foam. We’ll probably have to put a fresh coat of paint on it, clean up some of the grandstands, renovate some of the suite areas. There’s some parking areas that need to be repaved. We’re going to have a long list of improvements that we’ll need to make to the facility, and we’ll make that well in advance (of the race date).”

But it’s not just Chicagoland getting a glow-up; Homestead-Miami Speedway is also in for a revamp as NASCAR makes it the crown jewel of the 2026 season finale. Drawing from lessons learned in building the Chicago street race from scratch, emphasize the importance of delivering a “first-class experience” for fans at every track, every weekend. He said, “We’re going to be making improvements to the seating there, to the optics of the facility, the midway area, a lot of our suites and hospitality areas. We’ve learned through the street race in downtown Chicago how expensive it is to erect a temporary course in a setting like that.” When the green flag waves in 2026, both tracks will stand not just as race-ready venues but as refreshed landmarks ready to deliver the kind of high-speed drama fans have been craving.