Dale Earnhardt Jr. says he’s ready to ‘gamble’ on one thing if NASCAR brings back the venue they once snubbed

As rumors revolving around NASCAR’s potential return to Chicagoland Speedway in 2026 surfaced, Dale Earnhardt Jr. made a bold claim through X (formerly Twitter). He said that if NASCAR hosts a regular-season event at the 1.5-mile racetrack, it would easily be one of the most entertaining races of the season.

NASCAR hasn’t been to Chicagoland since 2021. Located about an hour from downtown Chicago, the tri-oval speedway started hosting NASCAR and IndyCar races back in 2001. It also hosted a SuperMotocross race in September 2023.

Although NASCAR hasn’t made any official announcement about Chicagoland’s revival, or the sport’s return to the track, reporter Adam Stern of Sports Business Journal wrote in one of his recent posts on X,

“NASCAR has been evaluating a possible return to Chicagoland Speedway for next year, according to people familiar with the matter, and the chances of the move happening are said to be increasing.”

Dale Earnhardt Jr., a two-time Xfinity Series champion, re-shared the post and wrote,

“I'd gamble that it would be one of the most entertaining races of the season.”

Dale Earnhardt Jr.

@DaleJr

LINK

I'd gamble that it would be one of the most entertaining races of the season.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. owns JR Motorsports, a four-car team competing full-time in the NASCAR Xfinity Series. Reigning series champion Justin Allgaier, who drives the team’s No. 7 entry, also leads the championship standings for the 2026 season. He has won three races so far, with the latest one coming at Nashville Superspeedway on May 31.

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Dale Earnhardt Jr. reacts to Daniel Suarez parting ways with Trackhouse Racing

Daniel Suarez during practice for the NASCAR Cup Series Toyota/Save Mart 350 at Sonoma Raceway on July 12, 2025 - Source: Getty

NASCAR Cup Series driver Daniel Suarez will not return behind the wheel of the No. 99 Chevy Camaro in 2026. Per reports, it’s the result of a mutual decision between the Monterrey native and Trackhouse Racing. However, this might impact Suarez’s career, said Dale Earnhardt Jr.

Dale Jr. thinks that there is no team at the Cup level that could accommodate Suarez in the years to come. On that note, he said on his Dale Jr. Download podcast,

“I don't know, really like what opportunities he's got, right? To stay in Cup. What openings are there? Where would he go that would be like a, 'Hell yeah! This is just as good.' A lateral move at least, right? There's nowhere he's going to go. There's nothing.”

However, the NASCAR Hall of Famer also added,

“He may be hopeful, and look, I could be wrong, and something could open up, and somebody might go, 'Yeah, man. We'll take this.’”

Daniel Suarez is one of the drivers still vying for their maiden win of the 2025 season. He ranks 29th in points, 89 points behind AJ Allmendinger, who currently owns the last playoff spot.

Next up for the Chevy star is the AutoTrader EchoPark Automotive 400 at Dover Motor Speedway on Sunday, July 20.