The NASCAR Cup Series returns to the streets of Chicago for the Fourth of July weekend. This event will join the two Texas races from the 2018 season on a unique list related to qualifying.
This event will be the first non-Daytona 500 race since Texas 2018 to have a driver fail to qualify. Forty-one cars will take part in qualifying on Saturday, but only 40 will make the race. The last time this happened was November 2018 when Timmy Hill failed to qualify for the second race at Texas Motor Speedway.
The spring race at Texas Motor Speedway in 2018 also had 41 cars on the entry list. However, Carl Long withdrew from the event.
The entry list features the normal 36 chartered entries. The five open entries will be the No. 13 of Kaulig Racing, the No. 33 of Richard Childress Racing, the No. 66 of Garage 66, the No. 67 of 23XI Racing, and the No. 78 of Live Fast Motorsports.
Reigning Supercars champion Will Brown will drive the No. 13 as he makes his second career NASCAR Cup Series start. This will be his first start for Kaulig Racing as he previously joined Richard Childress Racing at Sonoma.
The No. 33, which Brown drove, will feature Austin Hill behind the wheel in Chicago. The Xfinity Series driver will pull double duty while making his second start of the Cup Series season. Hill has three more starts scheduled in the No. 33 after the Chicago weekend.
The No. 66 will feature veteran racer Josh Bilicki behind the wheel. The Wisconsin native has made 103 Cup Series starts in his career, which includes two this season. He drove the No. 66 at Bristol Motor Speedway and Charlotte Motor Speedway.
The No. 67 will have Corey Heim behind the wheel. The Truck Series does not race again until July 25, but Heim will make his third scheduled start for 23XI Racing. If he qualifies for the street race, he will make his first Cup start on a course requiring left and right turns.
The final open entry in Chicago will feature veteran racer Katherine Legge. She will attempt to make her third start of the Cup Series season and her first since the trip to Mexico City.