The 2026 Cuervo 300 was a NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts Series race held on Saturday, July 4, 2026, at Chicagoland Speedway in Joliet, Illinois. Contested over 201 laps—extended from 200 laps due to an overtime finish on the asphalt oval, it was the 20th race of the 2026 NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts Series season, and the 20th running of the event and the first since 2019.
In a dramatic finish, Brandon Jones, driving for Joe Gibbs Racing, took the lead from Chase Elliott in the final overtime restart, holding him off in a close battle to earn his eighth career NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts Series win, and his first of the season. Connor Zilisch won the first stage and led 48 laps, while Elliott won the second stage and led the race-high 78 laps. Elliott finished second, and Jesse Love finished third. Brent Crews and Austin Hill rounded out the top five, while Justin Allgaier, Taylor Gray, Sam Mayer, Cole Custer, and Zilisch rounded out the top ten.
Report
Background
Chicagoland Speedway is a tri-oval speedway in Joliet, Illinois, southwest of Chicago. The speedway opened in 2001 and currently hosts NASCAR races. Until 2011, the speedway also hosted the IndyCar Series, recording numerous close finishes, including the closest finish in IndyCar history. The speedway is owned and operated by International Speedway Corporation and is located adjacent to Route 66 Raceway.
This race marked the O'Reilly Auto Parts Series' return to Chicagoland Speedway for the first time since 2019.
On July 1, Cuervo Tequila was announced as the title sponsor for the race.
Entry list (R) denotes rookie driver. (i) denotes driver who is ineligible for series driver points.
Driver Team Make 00 Sheldon Creed Haas Factory Team Chevrolet 0 Cole Custer (i) SS-Green Light Racing Chevrolet 1 Connor Zilisch (i) JR Motorsports Chevrolet 02 Ryan Ellis Young's Motorsports Chevrolet 2 Jesse Love Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 07 Josh Bilicki SS-Green Light Racing Chevrolet 7 Justin Allgaier JR Motorsports Chevrolet 8 Sammy Smith JR Motorsports Chevrolet 9 Carson Kvapil JR Motorsports Chevrolet 17 Corey Day Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 18 William Sawalich Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 19 Brent Crews (R) Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 20 Brandon Jones Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 21 Austin Hill Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 24 Harrison Burton Sam Hunt Racing Toyota 26 Dean Thompson Sam Hunt Racing Toyota 27 Jeb Burton Jordan Anderson Racing Chevrolet 28 Kyle Sieg RSS Racing Chevrolet 31 Blaine Perkins Jordan Anderson Racing Chevrolet 32 Rajah Caruth Jordan Anderson Racing Chevrolet 38 J. J. Yeley RSS Racing Ford 39 Ryan Sieg RSS Racing Chevrolet 41 Sam Mayer Haas Factory Team Chevrolet 42 Garrett Smithley Young's Motorsports Chevrolet 44 Brennan Poole Alpha Prime Racing Chevrolet 45 Lavar Scott (R) Alpha Prime Racing Chevrolet 47 Dawson Cram Team Stange Racing Chevrolet 48 Patrick Staropoli (R) Big Machine Racing Chevrolet 51 Jeremy Clements Jeremy Clements Racing Chevrolet 53 Tyler Tomassi Joey Gase Motorsports Chevrolet 54 Taylor Gray Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 55 Joey Gase Joey Gase Motorsports Chevrolet 87 Nick Sanchez Peterson Racing Chevrolet 88 Chase Elliott (i) JR Motorsports Chevrolet 91 Myatt Snider DGM Racing Chevrolet 92 Leland Honeyman (i) DGM Racing Chevrolet 96 Anthony Alfredo Viking Motorsports Chevrolet 99 Parker Retzlaff Viking Motorsports Chevrolet Official entry list
Practice The first and only practice session was held on Saturday, July 4, at 12:30 PM CST, and lasted for 50 minutes. It was originally scheduled to be held on Friday, July 3, at 3:30 PM CST, but was postponed due to inclement weather, and took over the time slot of qualifying.
Jesse Love, driving for Richard Childress Racing, set the fastest time in the session, with a lap of 31.118 seconds, and a speed of . Pos.DriverTeamMakeTime12Jesse LoveRichard Childress RacingChevrolet31.118173.533227Jeb BurtonJordan Anderson RacingChevrolet31.406171.94237Justin AllgaierJR MotorsportsChevrolet31.424171.843Full practice results
Starting lineup Qualifying was originally scheduled to be held on Saturday, July 4, at 12:30 PM CST, but was cancelled due to practice taking over the time slot from inclement weather the previous day. Connor Zilisch, driving for JR Motorsports, was awarded the pole position as a result of NASCAR's pandemic formula with a score of 2.000.
Starting lineup Pos.DriverTeamMake11Connor Zilisch (i)JR MotorsportsChevrolet219Brent Crews (R)Joe Gibbs RacingToyota39Carson KvapilJR MotorsportsChevrolet417Corey DayHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet599Parker RetzlaffViking MotorsportsChevrolet62Jesse LoveRichard Childress RacingChevrolet796Anthony AlfredoViking MotorsportsChevrolet800Sheldon CreedHaas Factory TeamChevrolet941Sam MayerHaas Factory TeamChevrolet108Sammy SmithJR MotorsportsChevrolet1188Chase Elliott (i)JR MotorsportsChevrolet1291Myatt SniderDGM RacingChevrolet1318William SawalichJoe Gibbs RacingToyota1439Ryan SiegRSS RacingChevrolet1587Nick SanchezPeterson RacingChevrolet1621Austin HillRichard Childress RacingChevrolet177Justin AllgaierJR MotorsportsChevrolet1824Harrison BurtonSam Hunt RacingToyota1907Josh BilickiSS-Green Light RacingChevrolet2051Jeremy ClementsJeremy Clements RacingChevrolet210Cole Custer (i)SS-Green Light RacingChevrolet2227Jeb BurtonJordan Anderson RacingChevrolet2342Garrett SmithleyYoung's MotorsportsChevrolet2444Brennan PooleAlpha Prime RacingChevrolet2554Taylor GrayJoe Gibbs RacingToyota2626Dean ThompsonSam Hunt RacingToyota2748Patrick Staropoli (R)Big Machine RacingChevrolet2802Ryan EllisYoung's MotorsportsChevrolet2920Brandon JonesJoe Gibbs RacingToyota3031Blaine PerkinsJordan Anderson RacingChevrolet3192Leland Honeyman (i)DGM RacingChevrolet3232Rajah CaruthJordan Anderson RacingChevroletQualified by owner's points3328Kyle SiegRSS RacingChevrolet3445Lavar Scott (R)Alpha Prime RacingChevrolet3553Tyler TomassiJoey Gase MotorsportsChevrolet3647Dawson CramTeam Stange RacingChevrolet3755Joey GaseJoey Gase MotorsportsChevrolet3838J. J. YeleyRSS RacingFordOfficial starting lineup
Race
Race results
Stage Results Stage One Laps: 45 Pos.DriverTeamMakePts11Connor Zilisch (i)JR MotorsportsChevrolet022Jesse LoveRichard Childress RacingChevrolet9317Corey DayHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet8488Chase Elliott (i)JR MotorsportsChevrolet0500Sheldon CreedHaas Factory TeamChevrolet6654Taylor GrayJoe Gibbs RacingToyota5741Sam MayerHaas Factory TeamChevrolet4818William SawalichJoe Gibbs RacingToyota397Justin AllgaierJR MotorsportsChevrolet21096Anthony AlfredoViking MotorsportsChevrolet1 Stage Two Laps: 45 Pos.DriverTeamMakePts188Chase Elliott (i)JR MotorsportsChevrolet022Jesse LoveRichard Childress RacingChevrolet9354Taylor GrayJoe Gibbs RacingToyota847Justin AllgaierJR MotorsportsChevrolet7541Sam MayerHaas Factory TeamChevrolet6620Brandon JonesJoe Gibbs RacingToyota5700Sheldon CreedHaas Factory TeamChevrolet4817Corey DayHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet391Connor Zilisch (i)JR MotorsportsChevrolet01019Brent Crews (R)Joe Gibbs RacingToyota1
Final Stage Results Stage Three Laps: 111 FinStDriverTeamMakeLapsLedStatusPts12920Brandon JonesJoe Gibbs RacingToyota20112Running6021188Chase Elliott (i)JR MotorsportsChevrolet20178Running0362Jesse LoveRichard Childress RacingChevrolet2015Running524219Brent Crews (R)Joe Gibbs RacingToyota2010Running3451621Austin HillRichard Childress RacingChevrolet2010Running326177Justin AllgaierJR MotorsportsChevrolet2010Running4072554Taylor GrayJoe Gibbs RacingToyota20155Running438941Sam MayerHaas Factory TeamChevrolet2010Running399210Cole Custer (i)SS-Green Light RacingChevrolet2010Running01011Connor Zilisch (i)JR MotorsportsChevrolet20148Running01139Carson KvapilJR MotorsportsChevrolet2010Running26121587Nick SanchezPeterson RacingChevrolet2010Running2513108Sammy SmithJR MotorsportsChevrolet2010Running2414599Parker RetzlaffViking MotorsportsChevrolet2010Running23151824Harrison BurtonSam Hunt RacingToyota2010Running2216800Sheldon CreedHaas Factory TeamChevrolet2010Running31172626Dean ThompsonSam Hunt RacingToyota2010Running20182342Garrett SmithleyYoung's MotorsportsChevrolet2010Running1919417Corey DayHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet2010Running29202227Jeb BurtonJordan Anderson RacingChevrolet2010Running17213192Leland Honeyman (i)DGM RacingChevrolet2010Running0222802Ryan EllisYoung's MotorsportsChevrolet2010Running15231291Myatt SniderDGM RacingChevrolet2010Running14243232Rajah CaruthJordan Anderson RacingChevrolet2010Running13252444Brennan PooleAlpha Prime RacingChevrolet2010Running1226796Anthony AlfredoViking MotorsportsChevrolet2010Running12272748Patrick Staropoli (R)Big Machine RacingChevrolet2010Running10283445Lavar Scott (R)Alpha Prime RacingChevrolet2010Running9291318William SawalichJoe Gibbs RacingToyota2010Running11303328Kyle SiegRSS RacingChevrolet2010Running7311439Ryan SiegRSS RacingChevrolet2003Running6323031Blaine PerkinsJordan Anderson RacingChevrolet1990Running5333553Tyler TomassiJoey Gase MotorsportsChevrolet1990Running4343755Joey GaseJoey Gase MotorsportsChevrolet1980Running3352051Jeremy ClementsJeremy Clements RacingChevrolet1980Running2361907Josh BilickiSS-Green Light RacingChevrolet1960Running1373838J. J. YeleyRSS RacingFord550Power1383647Dawson CramTeam Stange RacingChevrolet350Engine1Official race results
Race statistics
Lead changes: 16 among 6 different drivers Cautions/Laps: 7 for 40 laps Red flags: 0 Time of race: 2 hours, 33 minutes and 9 seconds Average speed:
Standings after the race
Drivers' Championship standings Pos Driver Points 1 Justin Allgaier 898 2 Jesse Love 703 (–195) 3 Corey Day 674 (–224) 4 Sheldon Creed 673 (–225) 5 Austin Hill 643 (–255) 2 6 Brandon Jones 633 (–265) 1 7 Carson Kvapil 630 (–268) 1 8 Sammy Smith 602 (–296) 9 Parker Retzlaff 556 (–342) 10 Sam Mayer 549 (–349) 1 11 Taylor Gray 535 (–363) 1 12 Brent Crews 527 (–371)Official driver's standings
Manufacturers' Championship standings Pos Manufacturer Points 1 Chevrolet 1,039 2 Toyota 698 (–341) 3 Ford 190 (–849) Note: Only the first 12 positions are included for the driver standings.
References