First since 2019, NASCAR returned to Chicagoland Speedway, opening the weekend with a 50‑minute practice session that left teams already charting adjustments for Saturday’s O’Reilly race.
Speed Chart Supremacy
Riley Herbst broke the record lap clock, posting 30.326 seconds around the intermediate oval—equivalent to 178.065 mph—topping teammate Bubba Wallace by a mere 0.023 seconds.
Test Day Leaders
Kyle Larson was among the Cup‑level test participants and placed third overall, trailing the Chevrolet of Dale Earnhardt Jr. and his 23XI teammate, while Denny Hamlin and Ty Gibbs spun the Joe Gibbs Racing Chevy into the top ranks.
23XI’s Top‑Eight Consistency
All four 23XI drivers finished inside the top eight: Corey Heim was sixth, and Tyler Reddick secured eighth. Reddick also led all lap‑length averages—ten, fifteen, twenty, and twenty‑five laps—while completing the most laps of any driver, 61 in total.
Incidents and Pit Lane Glitches
No on‑track incidents occurred, but Erik Jones experienced a kerfuffle after bouncing over rough bumps, sending his No. 43 to the garage. Several drivers also missed the narrow turn‑in when practicing entry onto the pit lane.
Commentary on Tire Performance
Reddick described the session as “a bit weird” because the tire falloff was unusually flat on the aged surface. “I think our Camry is really good,” he noted, adding, “We don’t get a lot of 50‑minute practices anymore, but today was a bit weird. The falloff was pretty flat. This is the tire we run at other intermediates where we see a lot of tire falloff. The surface has age to it, but it was just strange. It didn’t act like the surface is as old as it is.” He concluded that the track would likely “clean up” for the next day, giving drivers a broader racing groove.
With the premium O’Reilly event tomorrow, teams are poised to translate practice insights into race‑day strategy, particularly as the track’s slickness may shift dramatically after the weekend’s cleaning.
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