The　core　task　of　tracking　control　is　to　make　the　controlled　plant　track　a　desired　trajectory.　The　traditional　performance　index　used　in　previous　studies　cannot　eliminate　completely　the　tracking　error　as　the　number　of　time　steps　increases.　In　this　paper,　a　new　cost　function　is　introduced　to　develop　the　value-iteration-based　adaptive　critic　framework　to　solve　the　tracking　control　problem.　Unlike　the　regulator　problem,　the　iterative　value　function　of　tracking　control　problem　cannot　be　regarded　as　a　Lyapunov　function.　A　novel　stability　analysis　method　is　developed　to　guarantee　that　the　tracking　error　converges　to　zero.　The　discounted　iterative　scheme　under　the　new　cost　function　for　the　special　case　of　linear　systems　is　elaborated.　Finally,　the　tracking　performance　of　the　present　scheme　is　demonstrated　by　numerical　results　and　compared　with　those　of　the　traditional　approaches.