TRACK – Chicagoland Speedway (1.52-mile oval)
NOAPS RACE – Cuervo 300 (200 laps / 300 miles)
TUNE IN – CW, MRN, SiriusXM Channel 90 at 5:30 p.m. (ET)
Connor Zilisch
No. 1 – KOA Chevrolet
Zilisch 2026 NOAPS Stats
Starts: 8
Wins: 2
Top 5s: 3
Top 10s: 6
Laps Led: 116
Avg. Finish: 8.5
Points: N/A
Connor Zilisch will make his ninth NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series start of the 2026 season Saturday afternoon and first at Chicagoland Speedway.
Chicagoland will be KOA’s first primary start of the 2026 season with Zilisch. In 2025, KOA and Zilisch teamed up for a fourth-place finish at Iowa Speedway.
Saturday’s race marks the final scheduled start for Zilisch at JR Motorsports this season. In 44 O’Reilly Series starts, dating back to 2024, Zilisch and JRM have 13 wins, 10 poles, and 26 top-five finishes, including two victories in 2026 at Bristol Motor Speedway and Watkins Glen International.
The driver of the KOA Chevrolet has reeled off four top-10 finishes in his last four NOAPS starts dating back to his victory at Watkins Glen in May.
Zilisch was impressive on intermediate-sized tracks in 2025. He scored four victories: Pocono Raceway, Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Dover Motor Speedway, and World Wide Technology Raceway while also racking up nine top-five finishes. In 2026 Zilisch has collected three top-10s on intermediate-size tracks, entering Saturday’s race at Chicagoland with a best finish of sixth place at Charlotte Motor Speedway.
Connor Zilisch
“It’s great to have the extra track time this weekend in the O’Reilly Series car since this is the first time I’ve been to Chicagoland. I’ve had a lot of fun this season with Rodney (Childers, crew chief) and everyone with the No. 1 team at JR Motorsports. We certainly want to end our season on a high note with another strong run. Everyone at KOA has been so supportive of me during my time at JR Motorsports, and it would be awesome to have a good run for them on Saturday.”
Justin Allgaier
No. 7 BRANDT Professional Agriculture Chevrolet
Allgaier 2026 NOAPS Stats
Starts: 19
Wins: 5
Top 5s: 12
Top 10s: 14
Laps Led: 457
Avg. Finish: 9.8
Points: 1st
Justin Allgaier is a two-time winner at Chicagoland in the NOAPS, having gone to Victory Lane in 2011 and 2017.
Overall, in 12 NOAPS starts at the 1.5-mile oval, Allgaier has amassed four top-fives and eight top-10s to accompany the two wins.
Heading into this weekend, Allgaier currently holds a 207-point lead in the NOAPS standings and leads the series in wins (five), top-fives (12), and laps led (457) among all full-time drivers.
This weekend is a home game for Allgaier, who hails from Riverton, Ill. Additionally, cornerstone partner BRANDT Professional Agriculture also calls Illinois home, with its headquarters located in Springfield, Ill.
This weekend, the No. 7 BRANDT Professional Agriculture Chevrolet will be featuring a scheme inspired by the American Flag that flies high above the BRANDT Research Farm in Pleasant Plains, Ill. The BRANDT Research Farm is home to over 300 acres dedicated to growing practices that can be implemented into everyday farming operations and help produce local data under the same conditions our customers face to assist in making informed decisions and offer the best information for customers profitability.
Justin Allgaier
“I’m so happy to be going back to Chicagoland. This has always been one of my favorite tracks, and it’s great to see it back on the schedule. Hopefully our notes from the past can help us get a good baseline for this weekend, but I know that Andrew (Overstreet, crew chief) and all the guys on this No. 7 group will be ready to go when we unload. It’s always great getting the chance to race back in the home state, not only for me but for everyone at BRANDT Professional Agriculture as well. We just need to go out and execute like we have throughout this season, and if we do, I think we can have an awesome homecoming on Saturday night and celebrate the 4th of July in style.”
Sammy Smith
No. 8 Patriotic Pilot Chevrolet
Smith 2026 NOAPS Stats
Starts: 19
Wins: 0
Top 5s: 6
Top 10s: 10
Laps Led: 17
Avg. Finish: 10.5
Points: 7th
Sammy Smith will make his first start at Chicagoland this Saturday with the NOAPS.
In 58 NOAPS starts on tracks measuring 1-2 miles in length, Smith has tallied two wins, nine top-fives, and 28 top-10 finishes.
Through the first 19 races of 2026, Smith is ranked fifth among the NOAPS field for most laps run in the top-15 at 79.1 percent.
The No. 8 Pilot scheme will include blue as well as its normal red and white color palette to celebrate the Fourth of July.
Sammy Smith
“I’m looking forward to Chicagoland, another new track for me. I feel pretty good about the track and the No. 8 Pilot Chevrolet the team is putting together, but I know if I need some guidance, Justin (Allgaier) will have some tips since he’s won there in the past. Can’t wait to get our patriotic Pilot Chevrolet to the track and hopefully to Victory Lane.”
Carson Kvapil
No. 9 Arby’s Cheesesteak Chevrolet
Kvapil 2026 NOAPS Stats
Starts: 19
Wins: 0
Top 5s: 5
Top 10s: 11
Laps Led: 70
Avg. Finish: 12.7
Points: 6th
Carson Kvapil will make his debut at the 1.5-mile oval this weekend as Chicagoland returns to the NOAPS schedule for the first time since 2019.
In 31 career starts on tracks 1-2 miles in length, Kvapil has recorded seven top fives and 13 top-10s.
Accompanying Kvapil, crew chief Phillip Bell has made 36 NOAPS starts atop the box on tracks measuring 1-2 miles in length. In those starts, Bell has amassed two wins, five top-fives and 12 top-10s.
Kvapil currently sits in sixth on the championship leaderboard, just seven points from fifth.
The No. 9 will showcase Arby’s new cheesesteak, made with 100% Angus steak, white American Cooper® Cheese, thick-cut caramelized onions, and served on an authentic Amoroso’s® sesame seed sub roll, this Saturday at Chicagoland.
Carson Kvapil
“We have been working hard in the sim the last few weeks preparing for Chicagoland. We’re looking to keep building on the momentum we’ve had. Our cars have been strong all season, and we’re hoping that carries over to Saturday at Chicagoland with our Arby’s Cheesesteak Chevrolet. We’ve had the speed and have been running up front, competing for wins. It feels like everything is about to come together.”
Chase Elliott
No. 88 HENDRICKCARS.COM Chevrolet
Elliott Career NOAPS Stats
Starts: 87
Wins: 6
Top 5s: 39
Top 10s: 71
Laps Led: 754
Avg. Finish: 8.3
Points: N/A
Chase Elliott returns to JRM competition this weekend for the first time since the 2021 season at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, where he earned a fourth-place finish driving the No. 1 Chevrolet
The No. 88 HENDRICKCARS.COM Chevrolet will carry a special patriotic “Salute to America” paint scheme as part of HendrickCars.com’s Four-Car Salute to America program.
In five O’Reilly Series starts at Chicagoland Speedway, Elliott has earned one victory (2014), three top-10 finishes, and has led 88 laps.
The No. 88 team has been one of the strongest on 1.5-mile tracks in 2026, earning two victories (Las Vegas Motor Speedway and Texas Motor Speedway) and three top-five finishes across its four intermediate-track starts.
Chase Elliott
“I’m excited to get back behind the wheel of a JR Motorsports Chevrolet this weekend. It’s been a while, so it’ll be fun to reunite with everyone at JRM. Chicagoland has been a good track for me in the past, and I’m looking forward to having the HENDRICKCARS.COM Salute to America paint scheme on our Chevrolet for this Fourth of July weekend. Hopefully we can unload with speed, execute all day, and put ourselves in contention for the win.”
JRM Team Updates
JR Motorsports at Chicagoland Speedway: JR Motorsports returns to Chicagoland Speedway with a strong history at the 1.5-mile oval. The organization has made 48 starts at the facility in the NOAPS, earning three wins, 12 top-fives, and 25 top-10s with an average finish of 11.9.
Souvenir Rig: JRM drivers Carson Kvapil, Justin Allgaier, Sammy Smith, and Rajah Caruth will be signing autographs at the JR Motorsports / HMS WB + AB souvenir rig on Saturday, July 4, from 11:15 a.m. to 11:45 a.m. CT.
