For the first time ever, NASCAR is coming to the streets of downtown Chicago on Saturday July 1 and Sunday July 2, 2023. Is this is a good idea? No, but it is happening anyway, so we may as well preview it. I mean NASCAR could not have possibly predicted that the city of Chicago would see its worst air quality ever in the week leading into this.
And now you’re going to get more air pollution from race cars? Traffic is notoriously bad in Chicago, especially so during the summer, and even worse on summer weekends. So hey, let’s throw in a shut down of a couple of the main thoroughfares to that mix.
with the #nascar #ChicagoStreetRace coming up this weekend, a reminder who broke this story first-
last year. #NASCARChicago #NASCAR75 #CHICAGO #ChicagoTraffic #Chicagoair #chicagostreetrace https://t.co/gurPFZk5t9— Paul M. Banks (@PaulMBanks) June 29, 2023
Honestly, the air is so bad, my eyes are watering, and I’m sitting inside with the window open. But the show will go on, as the Chicago Street Race will become the 177th different track the NASCAR Cup Series has competed on its 75 year history.
“Welcoming yet another NASCAR event to Illinois just weeks after the inaugural Enjoy Illinois 300 Cup Series race is a testament to the strength of our tourism industry from Chicago to Metro East,” read a statement from His Excellency, Governor JB Pritzker.
“Illinois, with its longstanding tradition of innovation, is a fitting host for NASCAR’s first-ever street race, and we are thrilled to welcome this new series to America’s most iconic drive.”
Great, can’t wait.
THE COURSE
THE SCHEDULE
NASCAR Cup Series
Next Race: Grant Park 220
The Place: Chicago Street Race
The Date: Sunday, July 2
The Time: 5:30 p.m. ET
The Purse: $7,565,807
TV: NBC, 5 p.m. ET
Radio: MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio
Distance: 220 miles (100 Laps); Stage 1 (Ends on Lap 20),
Stage 2 (Ends on Lap 45), Final Stage (Ends on Lap 100)
NASCAR Xfinity Series
Next Race: The Loop 121
The Place: Chicago Street Race
The Date: Saturday, July 1
The Time: 5 p.m. ET
The Purse: $1,627,771
TV: USA, 4:30 p.m. ET
Radio: MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio
Distance: 121 miles (55 Laps); Stage 1 (Ends on Lap 15),
Stage 2 (Ends on Lap 30), Final Stage (Ends on Lap 55)
NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series
Next Race: O’Reilly Auto Parts 150 at Mid-Ohio
The Place: Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course
The Date: Saturday, July 8
The Time: 1:30 p.m. ET
The Purse: $650,589
TV: FS1, 1 p.m. ET
Radio: MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio
Distance: 151.28 miles (67 Laps); Stage 1 (Ends on Lap 20),
Stage 2 (Ends on Lap 40), Final Stage (Ends on Lap 67)
Chicago NASCAR History
in 2012, NASCAR Contenders Live made its debut in Chicago at the House of Blues. It was quite popular and the event returned to Chicago the next year, just days before the first race of the 2013 Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup at Chicagoland Speedway.
Then NASCAR President Mike Helton was there, for the prelude to the first ever playoff race, in the current points format. NASCAR Contenders Live featured all 12 Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup drivers interacting on stage, providing fans an insider’s look at how the competitors plan to claim the ultimate prize: a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship. The NCL took place at the Grand Ballroom at Navy Pier.
Paul M. Banks is the owner/manager of The Sports Bank. He’s also the author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,” and “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.”
He’s written for numerous publications, including the New York Daily News, Sports Illustrated and the Chicago Tribune. He regularly appears on NTD News and WGN News Now. Follow the website on Twitter and Instagram.