Ever since NASCAR made its first trek to Chicagoland Speedway in 2001, drivers have racked up all kinds of memories (like the giant Tropicana orange rolling down the front stretch in 2004).
Now that the racetrack has been established as the kickoff to the Chase for the Sprint Cup, the stakes are deliciously high for the 16 drivers who have qualified for the 10-race NASCAR playoffs. The points standings have been reset ahead of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 400 (1:30 p.m. Sunday, NBC Sports) to create a virtually level playing field (or racetrack), with the exception of three bonus points for each win they tallied during the regular season.
A level playing field is boring, though. So we ranked each of the 16 Chase drivers on the topic we know best: Chicago.
16. Chris Buescher
Buescher doesn’t have any Chicago cred to speak of just yet.
15. Kyle Larson
Larson finished third in his first race at Chicagoland in 2014; he was seventh last year. Larson nabbed his first Cup victory a few weeks ago at Michigan International Speedway, which locked him into the Chase.
14. Austin Dillon
Dillon doesn’t have much Chicago cred yet, but he is confident in his ability and his race team at Chicagoland in his first time at the track in the Cup series. “Chicago is one of my favorite tracks and we are going to win,” Dillon told Fox Sports. “That is all we are doing. We are going to win and see what happens after that.”
13. Joey Logano
Chasing Second Chances is an initiative by the Joey Logano Foundation through which it will award grants to charities in each of the 10 Chase cities. First stop: Chicago’s Bear Necessities, where the goal is “helping kids rediscover their childhood while we discover a cure for pediatric cancer.”
12. Chase Elliott
Elliott, along with NHRA funny car driver Courtney Force, hosted a party at North Avenue beach in 2014. He also visited the Shedd Aquarium last month to meet fans.
11. Tony Stewart
Stewart, nicknamed “Smoke,” is known for aggressive behavior on and off the track. In the 2004 Chicagoland race, his pit crew fought Kasey Kahne’s crew after an incident between the two on track.
On the gentler side, Stewart’s foundation has worked with various nonprofits around Chicago and in Illinois, most recently PAWS Chicago, the largest no-kill humane organization in the midwest.
10. Martin Truex Jr.
He attended White Sox training camp for a day in 2011. Truex was in Phoenix for a race and decided to check out the camp, where he warmed up with the team, took batting practice, and practiced defensive plays on the field.
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9. Jimmie Johnson
Johnson is friends with former Bears tight end Greg Olsen, who played for the Bears from 2007 to 2010, when he was traded to Carolina. Olsen has infused himself in NASCAR, even driving the pace car in this year’s All-Star race.
Olsen also has worked with Johnson’s team, Hendrick Motorsports, countless times, from NASCAR weekends at the track to charity events.
8. Brad Keselowski
During the 2015 race weekend in Chicago, Keselowski took it upon himself to visit three noteworthy hot dog hot spots. The Wiener’s Circle in Lincoln Park; Franks N’ Dawgs (now closed), where he had the Reuben Pulaski; and Portillo’s, where he ordered the chocolate cake. One hot dog he specifically refused to order? The Chicago-style dog. Chicagoland Speedway started a tradition in 2015 where the winner of the race is presented with Chicago-style dog in victory lane.
“You don’t want to taste the trophy before you’ve won,” Keselowski told Chicagoland Speedway. “I want my first bite of a Chicago-style hot dog to be in Gatorade Victory Lane on Sunday.” Alas, Keselowski finished eighth in that race.
7. Denny Hamlin
He’s besties with the legend himself, Michael Jordan. In 2010, Hamlin met Jordan at a Charlotte Bobcats (now Hornets) game, and in 2011 he signed with the Jordan brand. The Jumpman logo appears on Hamlin’s firesuit, gloves and shoes during races. Jordan even traveled to Homestead-Miami Speedway to cheer on his friend in the final race of the 2014 season, when Hamlin finished third in the standings.
Even though they’re friends, M.J. is still his idol, and Hamlin compared Jordan to a current NASCAR great: “I got into basketball right at the tail end of Jordan’s career,” Hamlin told Motor Racing Network. “But he was one of those guys that you idolized. Greatness like that in any sport is hard to find. The [championship] runs that Jimmie Johnson has gone on in NASCAR are similar to what Michael did in basketball.”
6. Carl Edwards
He appeared on a November 2015 episode of “Chicago Fire” as a pizza delivery guy. The production crew even incorporated Edwards’ car number, 19, into the show. “They actually got the car done up and it said 19 years of, you know, great pizza or along those lines,” Edwards told NBC Sports. “… It was really fun to do.”
Aside from the acting in Chicago, Edwards attended his second-ever NBA game at the United Center in 2015. The Bulls played Washington that game, but the driver was more enamored with Michael Jordan’s legacy. As a Bulls fan throughout the 1990s, he made sure to get a picture with Jordan’s statue outside the UC.
Edwards also has some accidental Chicago cred, as he shares a name with Cubs relief pitcher Carl Edwards Jr.
5. Jamie McMurray
McMurray has helped kick off Chicago’s NFL draft week the past two years. Alongside current San Diego Chargers running back and former Wisconsin Badger Melvin Gordon, McMurray has co-hosted a celebrity bowling event each year at Lucky Strike Chicago to benefit the driver’s charitable foundation.
McMurray also partnered with other pro athletes, including Blackhawks star Patrick Kane, in a 2014 McDonald’s commercial.
4. Kevin Harvick
Harvick is the Chicagoland Speedway O.G., having won the inaugural race at the track in his rookie year in 2001. He made it back-to-back in 2002. While his wins are a favorite memory at the track, he has another: “The other is the time the big orange Tropicana ball went bouncing down the front stretch. I always look forward to coming back here,” Harvick told The Herald News.
In 2015, Harvick grabbed headlines at Chicagoland again. He finished second to last in the race but brought the drama when he punched fellow driver Jimmie Johnson in the chest after the race. Harvick wrecked a few laps after contact with Johnson during the race, which caused tempers to flare.
Harvick is apprehensive about one part of 2016 race, though it’s not for an obvious reason. His 4-year-old son, Keelanm, is “scared to death” of turtles. Harvick since has said Keelan has moved past that fear; here’s hoping he’s right.
3. Kyle Busch
Kyle Busch married his now-wife, Samantha, on New Year’s Eve 2010 at Holy Name Cathedral downtown. The couple’s reception was at the Chicago Cultural Center, which was specially opened on Dec. 31 for their six-hour reception. Their wedding was even featured in a Style Network special titled “Fast and Fabulous: A NASCAR Wedding.” Kyle’s only request? Macaroni and cheese at the wedding. Deep-dish pizza would have been a better choice, but whatever works.
Samantha grew up in St. John, Ind., and had Robbie Gould on her 2016 fantasy football team until he was cut the Bears. Tough break.
2. Matt Kenseth
Chicagoland is the closest track to Kenseth’s hometown of Cambridge, Wis., so he enjoys the Chicago race weekend. When he’s visiting the city, he’s trying to conquer his phobia.
“Actually, I’m a little queasy right now,” Kenseth told the Tribune in 2013 after riding the Navy Pier’s Ferris wheel.
He also faced his fears at the Willis Tower.
“I did not stand on the glass [ledge] because I’m a big chicken, but I got to see a lot and it wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be,” Kenseth told Speedway Digest in 2013. “Honestly, the whole day was fun, even though I’m scared of heights.”
While we can’t fault Kenseth for his fear, we can’t support the football team he roots for, either. He’s a huge Green Bay fan, having won a wager with Kurt Busch. Which will be explained if you keep reading …
1. Kurt Busch
Busch is a lifelong Cubs and Bears fan, and not a recent addition to either bandwagon. He has distant relatives who live in the northwest suburbs, and growing up in Las Vegas, he said there weren’t many teams to root for.
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“My dream is to be in Chicago when the Cubs win the World Series for the celebration that will not end,” Busch told USA Today in 2012. Maybe this is the year that his dream comes true. He even attended the Cubs’ win over Pittsburgh on Aug. 29 at Wrigley Field.
Also in 2012, Busch bet fellow Chase driver Matt Kenseth that the Bears would beat Green Bay. Unfortunately for Busch, the Packers won and he had to wear green and gold to the drivers meeting in Chicago.
Emily Brown is a RedEye contributor. @enbrown10