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Friday, April 19, 2024

NASCAR In Chicago

Sports, news and entertainment coverage on the 2023 NASCAR Chicago Street Race and how its presence downtown affects the city and its residents.

Shane Van Gisbergen, holding a checkered flag, is surrounded by media.
NASCAR In Chicago
Shane van Gisbergen gets first NASCAR victory in Grant Park 220
After the heavy rain finally let up in the late afternoon Sunday, NASCAR’s big event was won by van Gisbergen after a wild, chaotic race in downtown Chicago.
By Sun-Times staff
 
NASCAR In Chicago
City officials and NASCAR unveil traffic plans for July 2024 street race
By Mary Norkol
 
Ryan Blaney celebrates after winning the 2023 NASCAR Cup Series Championship.
Sports
Ryan Blaney visits Chicago ahead of second Street Race
By Kyle Williams
 
William Byron
NASCAR In Chicago
William Byron launches Hendrick Motorsports' 40th anniversary season with win in Daytona 500
By Associated Press
 
Keith Urban, seen performing, will close out the two-day music portion of this summer’s NASCAR Chicago Street Race Weekend.
Entertainment and Culture
Keith Urban, the Black Keys among headliners for NASCAR Chicago Weekend 2024
By Miriam Di Nunzio
 
Race weekend & festival updates
A person walks through a large puddle south of Buckingham Fountain at the NASCAR Chicago Street Race on Sunday, July 2, 2023 in Chicago.
NASCAR In Chicago
Fans go with the flow as record rainfall dampens Chicago’s NASCAR weekend
Before the Chicago Street Race, fans fled for shelter in garages and coffee shops as it rained buckets on the course.
By David Struett, Ambar Colón, and 1 more
 
Shane Van Gisbergen, holding a checkered flag, is surrounded by media.
NASCAR In Chicago
Shane van Gisbergen gets first NASCAR victory in Grant Park 220
After the heavy rain finally let up in the late afternoon Sunday, NASCAR’s big event was won by van Gisbergen after a wild, chaotic race in downtown Chicago.
By Sun-Times staff
 
Attendees watch Saturday as NASCAR driver Kyle Weatherman takes the course during practice before The Loop 121 race at the Chicago Street Race.
NASCAR In Chicago
NASCAR in Chicago gives fans thrills until the threat of lightning puts the brakes on fun
 
JC Brooks performs in concert at the NASCAR Chicago festival on Saturday afternoon. 
NASCAR In Chicago
JC Brooks Band kicks off NASCAR Chicago concert series on day 1 of street racing extravaganza
 
merlin_114312378.jpg
NASCAR In Chicago
Fans take the wheel on a simulator of Chicago’s NASCAR course at Navy Pier
 
Miranda Lambert is among the music artists performing in concert at the NASCAR Chicago festival in Grant Park.
NASCAR In Chicago
NASCAR Chicago weekend promises music, food, family fun — and racing, too
 
Impact on the city
An unauthorized vehicle drives away near Michigan and Balboa on the racetrack of the Nascar Street Race circuit, Saturday, July 1, 2023.
Charges pending against man who drove on Chicago NASCAR course: Police
Charges are pending against a man who allegedly drove onto the NASCAR Chicago Street Race course on Saturday night after the day’s race was canceled early…
 
NASCAR’s first-ever street race comes to Chicago over the Fourth of July weekend. Concrete barriers will be erected to enclose the race course and protect the public from debris from crashes.
NASCAR In Chicago
CPD officers must work overtime for traffic control during NASCAR race
With crowds expected to flock to the lakefront for the Fourth of July races, CPD says off-duty officers and those from other districts will be deployed to direct traffic downtown.
By David Struett
 
NASCARSUN-070323_28.jpg
Chicago NASCAR Street Race 2023: Exciting race wraps rainy weekend
The Sun-Times and WBEZ’s coverage of the Grant Park 220 and NASCAR’s first race weekend in Chicago.
By Sun-Times staff
 
Pedestrians 2023 NASCAR Chicago Street Race turn 8 South Michigan Avenue West Ida B. Wells Drive
NASCAR In Chicago
Chicago’s NASCAR safety plan
The closing of major thoroughfares for the stock car race in Grant Park will present challenges in getting patients quickly to area hospitals.
By Fran Spielman
 
Michelle Durpetti managing partner Gene & Georgetti steakhouse
Business
Businesses hope Chicago NASCAR street race revs up sales
Whether a sporting event or an “endurance contest,” NASCAR’s first ever street race could showcase the city at its best and provide a long-term payoff.
By David Roeder
 
Visitors look at sharks and other fish swim by at Shedd Aquarium’s Wild Reef exhibit, Monday, December 19, 2022. Researchers have been documenting Parthenogenesis in a female Zebra sharks, Bubbles, at the aquarium.
Entertainment and Culture
Chicago museum hour changes during the NASCAR Chicago Street Race
The Field Museum, Shedd Aquarium and Adler Planetarium announced their hours of operation for June 28 through July 3.
By Catherine Odom
 
View northbound over Presidential Paddock Club along Columbus Drive for the NASCAR Chicago Street Race in Grant Park on June 21, 2023.
Business
NASCAR has downtown-area hotels primed for steady stream of guests
NASCAR kicks off this weekend but it’s not the only show in town, proving Chicago can absorb the tourism and meeting business.
By David Roeder
 
What people are saying
NASCAR driver Josh Berry takes the course during practice before The Loop 121 race at the Chicago Street Race, Saturday, July 1, 2023.
NASCAR In Chicago
Chicago’s first day in the NASCAR business was far from a smash hit. Will Sunday be better?
The Xfinity Series’ Loop 121 race never really got anywhere before being postponed due to weather. As for the main race — the Grant Park 220 — Cup Series drivers had some gripes after qualifying.
By Steve Greenberg
 
Driver Ross Chastain celebrating with a burnout after winning the NASCAR Cup Series Ally 400 on Sunday.
NASCAR In Chicago
Sorry, NASCAR. It’s not you, it’s us.
Still hard to understand why the circuit chose Chicago for its first street race.
By Rick Morrissey
 
Ross Chastain, driver of the #1 Worldwide Express Chevrolet, takes the checkered flag to win the NASCAR Cup Series Ally 400 at Nashville Superspeedway on Sunday.
Columnists
NASCAR isn’t just sport — it’s America itself, and Chicago is about to enjoy a slice
Cars themselves are the epitome of the USA, the essence of us. Everything a car lets you do, everything you can do in a car, everything you can do to a car — it’s the stuff that makes you feel free, in control, beyond the law, fast.
By Rick Telander
 
Ross Chastain Alex Bowman Joey Logano Ricky Stenhouse Jr. Austin Cindric Daytona 500 February 2023 NASCAR
NASCAR In Chicago
NASCAR in Chicago is the epitome of a culture clash
Are those cars and drivers ready for us? Are we ready for them?
By Steve Greenberg
 
Stock cars on the track June 11 at the NASCAR Cup Series Toyota / Save Mart 350.
Columnists
NASCAR ticket prices beg the question: Who’s going — and why?
NASCAR is expecting Chicagoans to pay for the privilege of watching stock cars race.
By Neil Steinberg
 
Reader Rey Kadon took this shot of the Miller High Life 400 in Brooklyn, Michigan, in 1989.
Columnists
NASCAR no more ridiculous than golf, reader says
Sun-Times readers sing the praises of NASCAR.
By Neil Steinberg
 
Kyle Busch, driver of the No. 8 3CHI Chevrolet, takes the checkered flag to win the NASCAR Cup Series Enjoy Illinois 300 on Sunday in Madison, Illinois.
NASCAR In Chicago
NASCAR drivers ‘skeptical’ about spectacle that will be the Chicago Street Race
“Racing through the city streets, very narrow, I honestly don’t know how it’s all going to work out,” Bubba Wallace said.
By Steve Greenberg
 
More on the drivers
NASCAR Cup Series Grant Park 220 - Practice
NASCAR In Chicago
Man, those manhole covers! NASCAR drivers suggest course tweaks for 2024 Chicago races
“If one of those [manhole covers] pops up a little bit,” Chase Elliott said, “you’re going to destroy something pretty bad.”
By Steve Greenberg
 
NASCAR-STREETRACE-Mustafa-Hussain
Drivers react to track conditions, 'it’s sketchy'
While The Loop 121 race was cut short due to lightning, the drivers have a better sense of the road conditions for completing the race tomorrow. “It’s…
By Steve Greenberg
 
NASCAR Cup Series Grant Park 220 - Qualifying
NASCAR In Chicago
Pole winner Denny Hamlin, Chase Elliott focused on big picture of Grant Park 220
“The sooner we just kind of understand the gravity of the event and not get too caught up in the on-track stuff,” Hamlin said, “the better we’re going to be.”
By Steve Greenberg
 
NASCAR Cup Series Grant Park 220 - Practice
<h1>Denny Hamlin tops qualifying, wins pole for Grant Park 220</h1>
Denny Hamlin won the pole Saturday for the NASCAR Chicago Street Race. Hamlin, in the No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota, 89.557 mph was the fastest time and…
By John Silver
 
NASCAR Cup Series Ally 400 - Qualifying
Columnists
‘He’s always going to rag on you’: NASCAR’s Bubba Wallace on driving for Michael Jordan
Jordan is a co-owner of 23XI Racing, which will have a pair of drivers — Wallace and Tyler Reddick — in Sunday’s Grant Park 220 downtown street race.
By Steve Greenberg
 
Danica Patrick — who raced out of Roscoe, Illinois — in the GoDaddy.com Chevrolet at Charlotte in 2013.&nbsp;
NASCAR In Chicago
Illinois drivers are no strangers to NASCAR
The Chicago Street Race might be the first of its kind, but the circuit does have a rich racing history in Illinois.
By Zane Miller
 
Illinois native Justin Allgaier at the NASCAR Xfinity Series DoorDash 250 at Sonoma (Calif.) Raceway on June 10, 2023.
NASCAR In Chicago
Meet Justin Allgaier, NASCAR’s only full-time driver from Illinois in this weekend’s Chicago races
Yes, this means we all have to root for the No. 7 Camaro on Saturday.
By Steve Greenberg
 
The in-laws and a nephew of NASCAR driver Jimmie Johnson died in a shooting police in Oklahoma are calling a murder-suicide.
NASCAR In Chicago
NASCAR driver Jimmie Johnson’s in-laws die in murder-suicide
Johnson’s team announced he has withdrawn from this weekend’s Chicago Street Race.
By USA Today Sports
 
Daniel Suarez is coming off his best season in the NASCAR Cup Series. He finished 10th in the driver standings in 2022. He’ll have strong support from Chicago’s Hispanic population at the street race.
NASCAR In Chicago
‘No scenario is too big’ for barrier-busting NASCAR star Daniel Suarez
Suarez has been a barrier-breaking star as the sport’s first Mexican-born driver to win a Cup Series race and has established himself as a perennial top-20 driver.
By Jason Lieser
 
Kevin Harvick at the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway in 2023.
NASCAR In Chicago
NASCAR star Kevin Harvick talks Chicago Street Race with member of local ‘illiterati’
What the heck are we in for with this Grant Park 220 business?
By Steve Greenberg
 
merlin_113752666.jpg
NASCAR In Chicago
Dale Earnhardt Jr. tests NASCAR Chicago Street Race track, assesses ‘challenges’ for drivers
The two-time Daytona 500 champion stopped by Chicago as other drivers offered ride-alongs on the track in an SUV. Earnhardt rated each bump, crest and imperfection.
By David Struett
 
F1 Grand Prix of Miami
Sports
Formula One in Chicago? Series applies for race trademarks
The international racing series has filed trademarks that indicate it could be planning a Chicago grand prix less than a year after NASCAR held its first street race in Grant Park.
By David Struett
 
Attendees watch as pit crew members work on the car for NASCAR driver John Hunter Nemechek after practice before The Loop 121 race at the Chicago Street Race, Saturday, July 1, 2023.
How covering NASCAR’s Chicago Street Race taught a couple of urban street reporters a lesson in humility
By David Struett and Kaitlin Washburn
 
NASCARSUN_070323_43.jpg
Sports
2024 NASCAR Chicago tickets go on sale Dec. 6
NASCAR returns to Chicago on July 6-7 after holding the first Cup Series street race in the 75-year history of the sport last summer.
By Kyle Williams
 
A model NASCAR Next Gen 2023 Ford Mustang that was painted by artists from Paint the City is on display at the Museum of Science and Industry, Friday, Oct. 13, 2023.
NASCAR In Chicago
Custom-painted NASCAR show car unveiled at Museum of Science and Industry
Painted by local artists through Paint the City, the car is designed to honor Chicago’s history and culture.
By Isabel Funk
 
NASCAR driver Shane van Gisbergen (91) fist pumps as he celebrates a victory after winning the Grant Park 220 NASCAR Street Race, Sunday, July 2, 2023.
NASCAR In Chicago
NASCAR Chicago Street Race returning in 2024 with briefer road closures
Despite pushback from politicians and downtown residents, the race will be back under new financial terms.
By David Struett, Fran Spielman, and 2 more
 
Taste of Chicago Grant Park
Food and Restaurants
Taste of Chicago returns to Grant Park: ‘The city’s biggest party for everyone’
Highlights of the annual summer tradition include a hip hop showcase featuring some of the biggest names in the genre, a tribute to DJ Casper and, of course, food from 35 vendors and food trucks.
By Dorothy Hernandez
 
Cars race down Michigan Ave during NASCAR’s first street race in downtown, on Saturday, July 1, 2023.
NASCAR In Chicago
Downtown residents divided on NASCAR’s return to Chicago, new surveys show
The major concerns residents reported were significant disruptions to traffic and access to Grant Park before, during and after race weekend.
By Kaitlin Washburn
 
Modelo recently replaced Bud Light as the most popular beer in the United States.
Consumer Affairs
Why is beer more expensive?
$63 for a six-pack of Busch and $28.99 for a 26-ounce “memorabilia cup” of beer. Sticker shock anyone?
By Michael Gerstein | WBEZ
 
Workers pallets NASCAR Chicago street race
Transportation
NASCAR Chicago Street Race is over, but some streets near Grant Park still closed
Balbo Drive from Michigan Avenue to DuSable Lake Shore Drive was expected to reopen Thursday, but it will stay closed as the city prepares for Lollapalooza.
By Emmanuel Camarillo
 
NASCAR race cars climb up Columbus Plaza during the Grant Park 220 NASCAR Chicago Street Race on Sunday, July 2, 2023 in Chicago.
Fran Spielman Show
Did NASCAR pay enough to use Grant Park, downtown streets? Chicago Park District boss defends agreement
The three-year agreement, with a two-year renewal option, calls for the Park District to receive a $500,000 permit fee. That pales by comparison to the $8 million to $9 million Lollapalooza pays every year to rent Grant Park.
By Fran Spielman
 
Grant Park 220 NASCAR Street Race Chicago green flag July 2 2023
Business
Singing after the rain: race promoters praise NASCAR weekend in Chicago but deeper dives will come
NASCAR said it invested $50 million in the festival, which debuted this year, but heavy rain curtailed activities and spending.
By David Roeder
 
NASCAR Cup Series Grant Park 220 - Practice
Sports Media
NASCAR Chicago Street Race draws 4.795 million viewers on NBC, 9.29 rating in Chicago
It was the network’s most-watched NASCAR Cup Series race in six years, since Indianapolis in 2017, which drew 5.647 million viewers.
By Jeff Agrest
 
Duane and Kristin Tabinski
NASCAR In Chicago
OSHA is investigating death of audio specialist at Chicago NASCAR course
Duane Tabinski, 53, was killed after accidental contact with electric wires during setup for the race, an autopsy shows.
By Emmanuel Camarillo
 
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NASCAR In Chicago
Mopping up after NASCAR weekend in Chicago
We tap the brakes to look back on a historic race on downtown streets.
By Sun-times Staff And Wires
 
Ciaran Burns of Ireland peers under a fence at Michigan and Jackson to watch the NASCAR Chicago race.
NASCAR In Chicago
5 great spots where fans watched NASCAR Chicago without a ticket
There were several places along the perimeter of the track where fans got a good taste of the racing spectacle without going inside.
By Dave Newbart
 
map NASCAR Chicago street race Grant Park.
NASCAR In Chicago
NASCAR Chicago Street Race is in the rear-view mirror; when will streets reopen?
With the completion of the Grant Park 220, roads will begin opening late Sunday. The last street to reopen will be Balbo Drive on July 13, leaving just over a week until the park shuts down again for Lollapalooza.
By David Struett and Allison Novelo
 
Shane van Gisbergen NASCAR Grant Park 220
NASCAR In Chicago
Chicago NASCAR Street Race a success? It is for Shane van Gisbergen, who wins first Grant Park 220
In his Cup debut, the New Zealander took the checkered flag in a wet, wild race that was delayed by a record-setting storm and eventually shortened from 100 to 75 laps to get to the end before darkness fell.
By Steve Greenberg
 
NASCAR driver Shane van Gisbergen (91) fist pumps as he celebrates a victory after winning the Grant Park 220 NASCAR Street Race, Sunday, July 2, 2023.
Photography
NASCAR Chicago: The race, the rain delay and more from Sunday in photos
Shane Van Gisbergen won the Grant Park 220 to wrap up NASCAR’s first weekend in Chicago. See how Sun-Times photographers’ captured Sunday on NASCAR weekend.
By Rich Hein
 
An unauthorized vehicle on Saturday night drives near Michigan Avenue and Balboa Drive on the Nascar Street Race track.
NASCAR In Chicago
Charges pending against man who drove on Chicago NASCAR course: Police
The man allegedly drove through a barrier to get onto the track, which wasn’t in use at the time after the day’s second race was halted when lightning was spotted.
By Mary Norkol and Kaitlin Washburn
 
Pit crew resting before the NASCAR Chicago street race
NASCAR In Chicago
NASCAR kicks off Chicago weekend, photos from Day 1 of the racing
What does it look like when professional stock car racing takes over one of the largest cities in America? See for yourself.
By Rich Hein
 
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