Chase Briscoe picks up first win of season in return to Chicagoland

Chase Briscoe claimed his first NASCAR Cup Series victory of the 2026 season on Sunday, leading a dominant 1-2-3 finish for Joe Gibbs Racing at the eero 400 as the series returned to Chicagoland Speedway in Joliet, Illinois.

Briscoe gained the advantage through pit strategy, bringing his No. 19 Toyota to pit road one lap earlier than William Byron on Lap 52. He overtook Byron as both drivers accelerated back onto the track and maintained the lead to the checkered flag.

Christopher Bell, driving with a fractured wrist, mounted a late charge in the No. 20 Toyota, cutting a one-second deficit in the closing laps. However, Bell finished just 0.276 seconds behind Briscoe in second place.

Denny Hamlin, who started from the pole, completed the Joe Gibbs Racing sweep by finishing third. His streak of three consecutive victories on oval tracks came to an end.

William Byron and Alex Bowman rounded out the top five, while Toyota earned its 12th victory in 19 NASCAR Cup Series races this season.

The race got off to a rough start for rookie Connor Zilisch, whose difficult debut campaign continued after contact involving Ryan Preece's No. 60 Ford during a three-wide battle on the opening lap. The incident sent Zilisch's No. 88 Chevrolet into the inside wall, bringing out the first caution.

Additional cautions followed when Zane Smith and Austin Hill were involved in separate incidents after Kyle Larson passed Hamlin for the early lead in Stage 1. The opening stage featured 60 laps as the Cup Series competed at Chicagoland Speedway for the first time since 2019.

Byron overtook Austin Cindric, who was running on tires that were 10 laps older, to win Stage 1. Larson finished second, followed by Bubba Wallace, Cindric and Briscoe.

Wallace briefly took the lead on Lap 92, but Larson's race took a turn when he spun by himself in Turn 4 and became stranded in the muddy infield after heavy weekend rain. His car had to be towed back onto the track before he continued with four flat tires.

Tyler Reddick, the Cup Series leader with five wins this season, suffered an oil cooler failure after striking debris near the halfway point. The damage forced the driver of the No. 45 Toyota to retire to the garage.

Byron also captured Stage 2, showcasing strong short-run speed throughout the race. Briscoe, Hamlin, Ty Gibbs and Ryan Blaney completed the top five in the stage before Briscoe sealed the overall victory. -Field Level Media/Reuters