Brace Yourself: NASCAR Is Taking Over Downtown Chicago This Fourth of July Weekend
Not everyone is pleased.
As you’ve likely heard by now, the inaugural NASCAR Chicago Street Race Weekend is about to take over downtown Chicago. Grant Park will be transformed from July 1 to 2 into a giant race track for the NASCAR Xfinity Series’ “The Grant Park 220” and the NASCAR Cup Series’ “The Loop 121.” The inaugural event of NASCAR’s new street race approach is part of a three-year deal for Chicago, in the works since the summer of 2021 under former mayor Lori Lightfoot, so depending on how this weekend goes, the excitement—or disruption, depending on your perspective—could be back before you know it.
Many Chicagoans, including local alderpeople, are asking, why Chicago? The simple answer is: change. It’s NASCARS’ 75th anniversary, and the organization wanted to celebrate by doing something fresh. Ben Kennedy, senior VP of NASCAR and great-grandson of founder Bill France, seems to be taking steps to reach a younger generation and cooler demographic, many of whom might be more interested in Formula 1 racing at the moment. Recently there have been races at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, and talks of more coming in places like the Pacific Northwest.
The race affects the city in many ways, but foremost through street closures, which can be found on the event website and the official app. There’s a notable lack of enthusiasm among certain individuals, particularly those living or commuting in the downtown area. “The choppers are circling constantly,” one South Loop resident told Thrillist, referring to the ongoing disruptions caused as coverage of the festival begins. Bus reroutes start on June 26, and commutes are already being impacted. “My medical treatment is downtown and my CTA route is becoming inaccessible to me,” said another resident. “This affects passengers with disabilities who don’t have money for cabs/rideshares in big ways.”
The Chicago races are the first-ever street courses in the Cup Series. The cars will be weaving around a city well known for its love of sports and beautiful landmarks—though not necessarily its love of NASCAR—creating a course that’s a huge departure from the famous oval. Over 50,000 people are expected to visit each day and bring with them a reported $113 million boost to the local economy and $3 million in tax revenue.
But some residents are concerned about the true impact it’s going to have on the city: “It’s just such a waste of public resources. It’s always ‘We’re trying to get tourist dollars,’ but the problem is there is nothing really set up near Millennium Park to bring those dollars in,” another resident told Thrillist. They also added that there’s concern among the city’s Black and brown residents: “Young Black folks—who are already criminalized and heavily surveilled downtown—will be even more so with increased security and cop presence for an event whose fandom is [mostly] white cis-straight male.”
The race is being billed as a festival, especially by track president Julie Giese, complete with performances both days by the likes of Miranda Lambert and The Chainsmokers. This all comes with a hefty ticket price, as the lowest for general admission clocks in at $279. Alderman Derrick Curtis of the 18th Ward expressed concern that the price is out of reach for many Chicagoans who would want to attend the race. NASCAR'S answer is a free fan fest over at Navy Pier with photo booths and immersive driving experiences, and more free activities over on Butler Field.
We won’t know how everything goes until the first turn around the track, but this is definitely new for the city—and with two more years of potential renewal, it could become a staple of summer in Chicago.