Chicagoland Speedway is losing its playoff race in exchange for the heat of the summer.
The 2018 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race at Chicagoland Speedway is set for July 1, 2018, and will mark the start of NBC’s live race coverage of next season, the track announced Tuesday.
With the earlier date, Chicagoland Speedway will not host a playoff race during the 2018 season. This year’s race will remain on Sept. 17 at 2 p.m. as the playoff opener.
This change is familiar scheduling for Chicagoland Speedway, as it used to schedule its big race in July. The 1.5-mile track in Joliet opened in July 2001, held a NASCAR weekend that same month and continued to do so before switching to September after the 2010 season.
“We’re incredibly excited about the return to July,” Chicagoland Speedway president Scott Paddock said in a release. “We always listen to our fans, and this is something they’ve asked for — a time when the weather in Chicago is perfect, kids are on summer break, and families look to enjoy memorable experiences together, especially around the Fourth of July holiday weekend.”
There will be four races that weekend: ARCA Racing Series, NASCAR Camping World Trucks Series, NASCAR XFINITY Series and Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series.
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