There are nine drivers scheduled to race in both the Xfinity and Cup races this weekend, the most drivers this season.
The players pulling double duty this weekend are: Joey Logano, Kyle Larson, AJ Allmendinger, Ty Gibbs, John Hunter Nemechek, Daniel Suarez, Shane van Gisbergen, Austin Hill and Josh Bilicki.
Saturday’s Xfinity race is on NBC. Pre-race coverage begins at 3 p.m. ET.
Sunday’s Cup race is on NBC and Peacock. Pre-race coverage begins at 4 p.m. ET.
This marks the first year that Cup drivers will be allowed to compete in the Xfinity race on the streets of Chicago.
Logano has won three of his last four Xfinity road course starts, but his last series start on a road course was in 2018. Saturday’s race will be Logano’s first Xfinity event since 2019. He will drive the No. 15 for AM Racing, replacing Hailie Deegan this weekend as the team looks to improve on its results this season. Logano joins the race this weekend following his Cup victory last weekend in Nashville.
Joey Logano to drive Chicago Xfinity race for Hailie Deegan
AM Racing is making this move after the problems this season with Hailie Deegan.
Larson, the Cup points leader, is back in the No. 17 for Hendrick Motorsports in the Xfinity Series. This will be his second Xfinity start of the year. He won the Xfinity race at Circuit of the Americas in March from the pole. Larson was fourth in last year’s Cup race in Chicago.
Allmendinger enters the Xfinity race seventh in the standings for Kaulig Racing. He has 11 career victories at an Xfinity track. His most recent Xfinity win at a track came in March 2023 at Circuit of the Americas. On the Cup side, Allmendinger is running a part-time schedule. He has finished sixth in both of his Cup races at tracks this year (COTA and Sonoma). All three of his Cup victories have come at tracks, including last year’s win at the Charlotte Roval.
Gibbs is making his fifth Xfinity start this season. The 2022 Xfinity champion has won four series races at tracks. His most recent Xfinity racetrack victory came in August 2023 at Indianapolis. Gibbs is seeking his first career Cup victory.
Good news, bad news for NASCAR Cup teams ahead of Chicago Street Race on NBC
The NASCAR Cup Series returns to the streets of Chicago for a festival of cars and concerts.
Nemechek is making his 10th Xfinity start of the season. He has two victories, with wins at Las Vegas and Nashville in the No. 20 for Joe Gibbs Racing. He was third at COTA and eighth at Sonoma this season. Nemechek drives for Legacy Motor Club in the Cup Series and is seeking his first career victory.
Suarez is making his second Xfinity start of the season. The 2016 Xfinity champion is seeking his first series victory on a road course. His first career Cup victory came on the Sonoma Road Course in 2022.
Van Gisbergen won the first Cup race on the streets of Chicago last year. He is competing full-time in the Xfinity Series this season, where he drives for Kaulig Racing. Van Gisbergen won back-to-back road course races in Portland and Sonoma. He is looking to tie the Xfinity record by winning three consecutive road course races. Terry Labonte and Allmendinger share the record.
Hill sits fourth in the Xfinity season standings entering this weekend. He opened the season with wins at Daytona and Atlanta. Hill will make his ninth career Cup start this weekend, driving the No. 33 for Richard Childress Racing.
Bilicki is making his ninth Xfinity start of the season and 99th of his career, finishing a season-best 12th at Portland. He’s making his first Cup start of the year and 98th of his career, driving the No. 66 for MBM Motorsports.
