NASCAR continued its trend to mixing up its schedule with the announcement of a street race in Chicago. Plans are for the event to take place on July 1-2 next year. It will feature the NASCAR Cup Series and an IMSA series to be named.
Racing has a storied history in the Windy City. The first organized auto race in the United States was known as the “The Time-Herald Motocar Contest” took place in Chicago on Nov. 28, 1895. An early season snowstorm limited the car count as they traveled from Jackson Park to Evanston and back. The race covered the 50-mile round trip at average speed of 6.66 mph and the winner took home $2,000.
More recently, NASCAR raced at Chicagoland Speedway in Joliet from 2001 to ’19. It also held events at Chicago Motor Speedway in the early 2000s. The last two years, Road America hosted the Cup Series rounds that were previously run at Chicagoland.
Along with races, NASCAR also hosted media events and fan festivals that marked the beginning of the playoffs in Chicago. Media attention was focused on the area.
Hints of an event were teased when iRacing held a virtual race on the Chicago streets during the COVID-19 shutdown in 2020. Locally headquartered, McDonald’s, sponsor of No. 23 car driven by Bubba Wallace, played a prominent role in this promotion.
The economic impact of these facilities was substantial approaching $1.0 billion. The construction and operation created thousands of jobs and millions of dollars in taxes. Record-setting attendance generated substantial hotel room night stays.
Chicago is no stranger to hosting notable events. Its Lake Front is busy most weekends with concerts, marathons, bike rides and food festivals. The annual Lollapalooza Music Festival draws almost 400,000 over four days with $250 million in activity.
The track is designed around Grant Park. Logistics are a critical factor in making the happen. The city routinely has street closures in the area to allow for the set-up, operation and take down of events. Traffic is rerouted to neighboring roads. There are disruptions but commuters are used to it.
Erecting grandstands and hospitality amenities will not be an issue. They will utilize existing setups and equipment used for other events.
Track construction and infrastructure is always a challenge. Building a safe venue for spectators and participants is paramount. Paving city streets and moving concrete blocks and installing catch fencing is not easy or inexpensive. Just ask the promoters of the successful Music City Grand Prix in Nashville.
Racing on Chicago’s Lakefront will be another milestone for NASCAR and the Windy City.