Folks, NASCAR has been on two missions for some time now: Expanding the reach of the sport and bringing back iconic tracks to the sport. The former was accomplished when the Cup Series race wandered to Daniel Suarez’s homeground, Mexico. And, for the latter, we had Bowman Gray Stadium back in the Cup for the first time since 1971! But the Madhouse wasn’t exactly a defunct track. It regularly ran Modifieds all this time. If we were to speak of the revival of inactive tracks. Rockingham Speedway is the perfect example. And now, fans have a few demands.

Rockingham already has races scheduled for the Truck Series and the Xfinity Series. And we don’t know if it will ever come back to the Cup. At least it’s a start! NASCAR could bank on its success this year to bring back more tracks. But which one to pick, among so many options! Looks like the authorities know which one they want to pick. Does it adhere to what fans call for?

The battle of the intermediates: Chicagoland vs Kentucky

Both Chicagoland Speedway and Kentucky Speedway are cookie cutters- Basically, 1.5-mile intermediates! And after the recent Homestead Miami race, we can’t have enough intermediates. We saw 27 lead changes among 9 drivers in the race. And the race was squeaky clean. The first caution came on lap 75, and there were only 4 cautions throughout the race. And those four cautions together only lasted 27 laps out of the 267. So you can do the math on how many green flag laps we got.

And don’t take our word for it, but even Mark Martin loved it! This is what he wrote on X: “This is what classic race fans watch @FS1@NASCAR@HomesteadMiami for. Absolutely great racing. No manufactured drama.” And Martin’s an intermediate pro. Out of his 40 Cup wins, 10 have come on such tracks. And with 56 times finishing in the top 5. So he knows what he’s talking about.

In his time, he’s run both the tracks, Kentucky and Chicagoland. Anyway, the point is that either of the two might work well in NASCAR, thanks to the current package. Even look at the recent Vegas race; it had 32 lead changes. Recently, a fan popped a question on Reddit: “Do you think Kentucky Speedway should return?”

Well, Kentucky Speedway saw its inaugural race in 2011. But picture this: It’s set in a sparsely populated stretch along Interstate 71, far enough from both Cincinnati and Louisville to discourage repeat business from fans who encountered epic traffic, parking, and weather problems. The traffic problems gave the track a bad name and eventually the attendance at the venue dropped dramatically. Finally, NASCAR took the call to close it down after the 2020 race. Back then, it was NASCAR’s attempt to enter an untapped market, but clearly, the market there did not respond well.

Even Chicagoland was NASCAR’s attempt to tap an untapped market. Bringing the sport to the people of Illinois. And unlike Kentucky, Chicagoland was a success, especially for its unique features. For instance, the backstretch isn’t exactly a straightaway; it’s bowed to a curve. The length of the track is 1.52 miles. The turns are 18 degrees in banking, with the front stretch measuring 11 degrees. However, after COVID-19 hit in 2019, NASCAR has not raced there.

Also, when it was time to resume racing, NASCAR replaced Chicagoland Speedway with Road America in its schedule. But still, they felt the Chicago market had potential. But rather than going back to the oval, they brought the Chicago Street Race in 2023, and it was a massive success, with Shane van Gisbergen winning it! That kind of overshadowed the once iconic short track. But now fans want the track back!

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Chicagoland wins fans’ support over Kentucky

Chicagoland Speedways’ future massively depends on the Chicago Street Race’s future. The Chicago racing market is big but not big as Northern Carolina to have multiple races from there. So, it’s unlikely that NASCAR would keep both. So far, they seem content with the street race. However, there have been rumors of NASCAR moving the street race to different cities. And that can open doors for Chicagoland’s comeback! And that’s what fans want. One fan responded to the question, “Do you think Kentucky Speedway should return?” saying, “No, I think Chicagoland deserves that shot before any other racetrack.”

Another fan echoing the same emotion wrote, “No, I’d rather have Chicagoland.” However, there is more possibility of Kentucky to return over Chicagoland. Look. Chicagoland is set in a prime location, in the heart of the city center. That’s prime real estate. Currently, the track that was built in 1999 for $130 million is owned by NASCAR. If they decide to keep the Chicago Street Race, NASCAR could sell the Chicagoland property and get good money. And even if the street race is moved. NASCAR can always go back to Road America. That’s always been a good race.

On the other hand, Kentucky Speedway is basically in the middle of nowhere. It’s owned by Speedway Motorsports Inc., and they have a 20-year PILOT agreement (Payments In Lieu Of Taxes)! Want to know what that is? Well, the agreement obligates Speedway Motorsports Inc. to two annual payments through 2031: a $180,000 lump sum and a $1 per ticket fee with a $230,000 minimum, even if the venue remains vacant. So, they could convince NASCAR somehow to bring back the race. And to generate income out of the track.

However, if we go by pure racing product. Chicagoland wins by a margin since it’s very similar to Homestead Miami Speedway. Both have 18 degrees banking. And even a fan agrees that racing-wise, Chiacgoland is better than Kentucky. The fan wrote, “Chicago had good racing though throughout its history (2006, 08, 14, 18). It’s 20+ year old asphalt that should elicit tire wear and has multiple grooves. That is to say, it has both the history and the right conditions for this car to potentially be a good place to return to in the future. Particularly once the Chicago Street Race runs its eventual course. Kentucky has neither of those. 10 years of bad cup racing and a fresh repave stained by sheets of PJ1. Pass”

Another fan echoed the same emotion; he wrote, “If we bring any track back, it should be Chicagoland. I think they’d put on a show. I’m not against giving Kentucky a shot with the new car, though.” Even Ryan Blaney has spoken about how Chicagoland should come back. He’s been good at intermediate in the next-gen. So he knows that the car would give a good show there.

Blaney on this had said, “[Chicagoland Speedway] deserves to have a race back at it. I definitely think the track we need to revitalize. If we’re revitalizing tracks, let’s revitalize Chicago. You start with that one.” And that’s why the majority of fans in the chat are saying, “I would like Chicagoland to come back before Kentucky.” What do you think? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below.