Tommy Gossett arrived at Chicagoland Speedway with high hopes Tuesday night, and for good
reason. The 1.5-mile tri-oval has long been one of the Florida driver’s favorite venues in
iRacing, and Round 9 of the 2026 eNASCAR Coca-Cola iRacing Qualifying Series marked the
beginning of the final segment — the NASCAR Cup Series Gen 7 cars. Gossett rolled off 28th in
second split for the 100-lap event but wasted little time making his presence felt. Utilizing the
handling characteristics of the Next Gen machine and clean air in the early stages, he
methodically carved through the field. By lap 25, the Ryco Performance/Gossett Buslines USAF
Thunderbirds tribute scheme entry had climbed into the top 15. Just over ten laps later, he had
advanced all the way to 12th and looked poised for an even stronger run as the race
approached halfway.

Then came the moment that changed everything.

On lap 37, while battling in the high line through turns 1 and 2, Gossett crossed a seam in the
track surface. The resulting snap-oversteer sent him hard into the outside wall, collecting race
ending damage. Gossett was forced to retire and ultimately finished last in the field. Gossett
said in a brief post-race statement. “Chicagoland has always been good to me, and tonight the
car was really coming alive. We were passing cars left and right and had a legitimate shot at a
top-10 or better. Crossing that seam just unsettled the car and I overreacted. Frustrating for
sure, but we’ll shake it off and be ready for Michigan.”

The incident was a tough blow in what had been a promising opening night in the Cup cars.
After eight races split between the Craftsman Truck and Xfinity (O’Reilly Auto Parts) machines,
the Qualifying Series transitioned to the Gen 7 Cup car for its final three rounds. Only the top 30
drivers after Tuesday’s finale at Texas will earn spots in the Free Agency pool for the 2026
eNASCAR Coca-Cola iRacing Championship Series.

For Gossett, the result stings, especially given his early pace at a track where he has historically
excelled. But with two more Cup races remaining — Michigan next week and Texas to close out
the segment — there is still time to rebound and put himself in position for an invite to Free
Agency.The Qualifying Series continues Tuesday, April 22 at Michigan International Speedway.
Coverage begins at 8:00 p.m. ET