Visitors to the Chicago History Museum will be able to relive last year’s NASCAR Chicago Street Race weeks before the roar of engines echoes through downtown as the race returns to the city for the second consecutive year.
The museum, 1601 N. Clark St., hosted a preview of its NASCAR Chicago Street Race Experience pop-up exhibit on Thursday ahead of its public opening Friday.
Stan Kalwasinski, a local auto racing historian, hopes the exhibit piques visitors’ interest in the race and encourages newcomers to attend the race and related events in Grant Park on July 6-7.
“Come to the race, see what it’s all about,” he said. “Yeah, you see it on television, but being around the noise and the color and all that is great.”
The exhibit is set up in the museum’s lobby. Visitors are greeted by Bubba Wallace’s 23XI McDonald’s Toyota Camry show car, which is parked just steps away from the main entrance. 23XI racing is co-owned by Michael Jordan.
Last year’s Grant Park 220 race trophy, which was hoisted by winner Shane Van Gisbergen, is also on display, as well as the hood of his victorious No. 91 Chevy Camaro from Trackhouse Racing. Visitors can also get a glimpse of other pieces of memorabilia from last year’s race.
The show car will be on display in the lobby from Friday through May 29, and from June 18 to July 1, according to the museum’s website. The exhibit runs through the end of the street race on July 7 and is included with general admission to the museum.
The exhibit also highlights Chicago’s long history of motor sports, which Kalwasinski said dates back to the first organized automobile race in the U.S. in 1895. Drivers raced from what is now the Griffin Museum of Science and Industry to Evanston and back, he said.
“Chicago has a rich history of racing. Believe it or not, they used to race stock cars at Soldier Field,” he added. Some photographs of those races, dating back to the 1950s, are also on display. Kalwasinksi provided a few from his personal collection.
Julie Giese, president of NASCAR Chicago Street Race, said the exhibit is meant to get people excited about the upcoming race but also to tell the story of last year’s historic event.
“Not only was it NASCAR’s first street race, it was Chicago’s first NASCAR street race,” Giese said, adding that the race boosted the city’s economy.
A report issued in October by Choose Chicago, the city’s tourism agency, said last year’s race and related events brought the city $108.9 million in additional revenue from corporate sponsors and tourists. The city has a three-year agreement with NASCAR to hold races in Grant Park.
The report, written by Temple University’s Sports Industry Research Center, also found that the race helped drive the highest hotel revenue for the Fourth of July weekend since 2015 and brought in more than $8.3 million in state and local taxes while supporting 750 jobs.
“We want to continue to build on that, and that’s really what this year two is about,” Giese said. “To continue to showcase Chicago, not only to people that are attending, but to millions of people that are viewing online as well.”
Thursday’s preview also featured a panel discussion on the city’s racing history with Kalwasinksi, Giese, Chicago historian Shermann “Dilla” Thomas and NASCAR broadcaster Brooke Fletcher.
On Monday, the museum and the NASCAR Chicago Street Race team will host a family event for Memorial Day featuring activities and free giveaways. Admission to the museum is free for Illinois residents 18 and younger with proof of residency.
