A look at the NASCAR qualifying results and starting lineup for the NASCAR Cup Series Race at Chicagoland Speedway on July 5, 2026.
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NASCAR’s long-awaited return to Chicagoland Speedway is officially set after Saturday’s qualifying session at the 1.5-mile oval in Joliet, Illinois. The Cup Series has not raced at this track since 2019, making Sunday’s eero 400 one of the most anticipated events of the 2026 season. With track position at a premium on the intermediate oval — where the groove is narrow and passing is notoriously difficult — where a driver starts on Sunday could go a long way toward determining where they finish.
The following shares the official starting grid for Sunday’s race, along with Chicagoland Speedway track details and key observations from NASCAR Cup Series practice and qualifying.
NASCAR Qualifying Results at Chicagoland Speedway
2026 eero 400 Race Info
Date: Sunday, July 5, 2026
Start Time: 6:00 p.m. ET
Track: Chicagoland Speedway — Joliet, IL
Coverage: TNT Sports, truTV, Max, MRN Radio, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio
Pole Sitter: Denny Hamlin
Defending Champion: N/A (first Cup race at Chicagoland since 2019)
eero 400 Race Breakdown
Distance: 400 miles
Laps: 267
Lap Length: 1.5 miles
Stages: Three (80 laps, 165 laps, 267 laps)
Surface: Asphalt
Turns: 4
Banking: Turns 1–4 — 18°; Front Stretch — 11°; Back Stretch — 5°
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Official eero 400 Starting Lineup
Denny Hamlin added another chapter to what is becoming a historic 2026 season. The No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota driver claimed the Busch Light Pole Award at Chicagoland Speedway with a lap of 30.296 seconds at 178.241 mph — edging out Kyle Larson by a razor-thin 0.001 seconds to claim the top starting spot. It is Hamlin’s fourth pole of the season and the 52nd of his career, breaking a tie with Ryan Newman for ninth on the all-time list. Hamlin is also the only driver to have won poles at both Chicagoland Speedway and the Chicago Street Course.
RFK Racing had a strong afternoon, placing both of their Fords — Chris Buescher and Brad Keselowski — in third and fourth. Ty Gibbs rounded out the top five, giving Joe Gibbs Racing a commanding presence at the front of the grid. Toyota as a manufacturer earned five of the top seven qualifying spots, continuing their dominance from practice a day earlier.
One notable storyline heading into Sunday: Tyler Reddick, who led all drivers in best 10-lap average speed during Friday’s practice session, will start 13th after a disappointing qualifying lap. Meanwhile, Shane van Gisbergen (P30) and Joey Logano (P31) will have plenty of ground to make up from deep in the field.
The following table shares the complete eero 400 starting lineup and NASCAR qualifying results for Sunday’s race.
| Pos. | Driver | Car No. | Manufacturer | Speed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Denny Hamlin | 11 | Toyota | 178.241 mph |
| 2 | Kyle Larson | 5 | Chevrolet | 178.235 mph |
| 3 | Chris Buescher | 17 | Ford | 178.153 mph |
| 4 | Brad Keselowski | 6 | Ford | 178.089 mph |
| 5 | Ty Gibbs | 54 | Toyota | 178.083 mph |
| 6 | Christopher Bell | 20 | Toyota | 177.643 mph |
| 7 | Chase Briscoe | 19 | Toyota | 177.637 mph |
| 8 | Bubba Wallace | 23 | Toyota | 177.515 mph |
| 9 | Chase Elliott | 9 | Chevrolet | 177.491 mph |
| 10 | William Byron | 24 | Chevrolet | 177.212 mph |
| 11 | AJ Allmendinger | 16 | Chevrolet | 177.160 mph |
| 12 | Alex Bowman | 48 | Chevrolet | 177.038 mph |
| 13 | Tyler Reddick | 45 | Toyota | 176.916 mph |
| 14 | Ryan Blaney | 12 | Ford | 176.887 mph |
| 15 | Carson Hocevar | 77 | Chevrolet | 176.869 mph |
| 16 | Zane Smith | 38 | Ford | 176.748 mph |
| 17 | John Hunter Nemechek | 42 | Toyota | 176.678 mph |
| 18 | Riley Herbst | 35 | Toyota | 176.609 mph |
| 19 | Ross Chastain | 1 | Chevrolet | 176.586 mph |
| 20 | Ryan Preece | 60 | Ford | 176.304 mph |
| 21 | Connor Zilisch | 88 | Chevrolet | 176.286 mph |
| 22 | Erik Jones | 43 | Toyota | 175.993 mph |
| 23 | Austin Cindric | 2 | Ford | 175.861 mph |
| 24 | Ricky Stenhouse Jr. | 47 | Chevrolet | 175.496 mph |
| 25 | Austin Dillon | 3 | Chevrolet | 175.444 mph |
| 26 | Daniel Suarez | 7 | Chevrolet | 175.353 mph |
| 27 | Ty Dillon | 10 | Chevrolet | 175.251 mph |
| 28 | Corey Heim | 67 | Toyota | 175.171 mph |
| 29 | Todd Gilliland | 34 | Ford | 174.695 mph |
| 30 | Shane van Gisbergen | 97 | Chevrolet | 174.413 mph |
| 31 | Joey Logano | 22 | Ford | 174.216 mph |
| 32 | Noah Gragson | 4 | Ford | 174.076 mph |
| 33 | Cole Custer | 41 | Chevrolet | 173.779 mph |
| 34 | Josh Berry | 21 | Ford | 173.327 mph |
| 35 | Austin Hill | 33 | Chevrolet | 173.238 mph |
| 36 | J.J. Yeley | 44 | Chevrolet | 168.914 mph |
| 37 | Cody Ware | 51 | Chevrolet | N/A |
| 38 | Michael McDowell | 71 | Chevrolet | N/A |
NASCAR eero 400 Practice and Qualifying Notes
- Denny Hamlin claimed his fourth pole of the 2026 season, edging Kyle Larson by just 0.001 seconds — one of the closest qualifying margins of the year. It is the 52nd pole of his career, moving him past Ryan Newman for ninth all-time.
- Joe Gibbs Racing placed four drivers in the top seven: Hamlin (P1), Ty Gibbs (P5), Christopher Bell (P6), and Chase Briscoe (P7).
- RFK Racing was the standout Ford team, locking up third and fourth with Chris Buescher and Brad Keselowski.
- Toyota captured five of the top seven qualifying spots, extending their dominance as the class of the field heading into the second half of the regular season.
- Tyler Reddick, who led practice with both the fastest single lap and best 10-consecutive-lap average, will start 13th. The points leader will need to work his way forward on a track where passing is notoriously difficult.
- Riley Herbst was the fastest driver in Friday’s practice at 178.065 mph but will start 18th after a quieter qualifying session.
- Shane van Gisbergen (P30) and Joey Logano (P31) were among the worst qualifiers and face a tough task on a narrow-groove intermediate oval.
- Ty Dillon makes his 300th career NASCAR Cup Series start on Sunday, a significant milestone for the Kaulig Racing driver.
- Cody Ware and Michael McDowell did not post qualifying times and will start from the rear of the field.
- This is the second race of the 2026 NASCAR In-Season Challenge tournament, adding extra stakes beyond regular season points.
- The Cup Series has not raced at Chicagoland since 2019, when Alex Bowman — who lines up 12th on Sunday — won the event.
