NASCAR’s Bumpy Ride To A Successful 2023 Chicago Street Race Weekend
By Johnathon & Jina Kelly
When it was first announced last year that Chicago would host the first-ever NASCAR Cup Series Street Race, it left a lot of people curious and puzzled with the first question being, ‘Why?’
Besides the obvious potential for a great economic boost to Chicago that it could offer, Senior Vice President of Racing Development and Strategy, Ben Kennedy stated,
“If you look at our schedules over the past couple of years, we’ve made a lot of bold changes went to L.A. Coliseum earlier this year, new tracks went to World Wide Technology Raceway about a month or so ago.
I’d say of all the changes this is our boldest change as a schedule. It’s been pretty synonymous when we announced the schedules that we want to be bold and innovative as we think about new venues and new concepts that we’re going to. This is number one on the list for us right now.”
The track cuts through the heart of Grant Park starting on S. Columbus Drive, with the first hard turn taking place on E. Balbo Drive. Next, another hard turn onto South Lake Shore Drive and back onto S. Columbus Drive and Balbo. Finally, in turns 7-12 down E. Congress Plaza Drive onto E. Jackson Drive to complete the 2.2 mile track.
As the months progressed, residents grew anxious but waited to see how NASCAR and the City Of Chicago were going to transform Grant Park into a race track and how it would impact them.
In addition to the race, musical acts JC Brooks & the Uptown Sound (from Chicago), The Black Crowes, The Chainsmokers, Charley Crockett and Miranda Lambert were all slated to perform.
Leading up to the race, drivers made many appearances at events throughout Chicago and the suburbs, from Lurie Children’s Hospital, to block parties, baseball games and even steering a tour boat down the Chicago River giving fans many opportunities to meet them and others a chance to get to know them.
Though, as road closures began, so did the complaints from residents, not just from those who drive through there for work, but even some who walk in and around Grant Park. This ‘bold and innovative’ event was certainly an adjustment and one that they will unfortunately have to continue to endure until the week of July 15th when the last of the closures is said to reopen.
Everything was looking good as the final days of June came to a close, that is until mother nature decided to intervene and end a months-long drought all on this race weekend, July 1st and 2nd.
At noon, JC Brooks & The Uptown Sound performed a phenomenal, and soulful set to a very small crowd, unfortunately. In fact, attendance was low throughout the grounds and in the stands all the way through the Xfinity Series Loop 121 race which ended up being cut short about halfway through the fifty lap race due to lightning concerns. The Chainsmokers were also cancelled leaving many upset fans who had hoped to see their set.
NASCAR announced they were planning on continuing the Xfinity Series race at 10 am Sunday, but alas, the rain continued to thwart everyone’s plans for a great day forcing the additional cancellations of Charley Crockett and Miranda Lambert. Things looked quite grim and all the day’s plans were left in a ‘holding pattern’ until the evening when the weather was projected to improve.
Just before 1 pm, NASCAR announced that the “standing water and flooding” conditions made it impossible to continue the Loop 121 race and therefore declared Cole Custer the winner of the race.
It wasn’t until after 5 pm when drivers were told to suit up, tarps were pulled from the cars and excitement levels started to rise. And after a few runs over the track with NASCAR’s new ‘Air Titans’, the track was made safe for the Grant Park 220 race to begin.
The excitement was palpable as the engines fired up and they made their many laps warming up, getting the feel for this truly unique track. Our Chicago streets provided an extra challenge with the different surfaces, from concrete to the blacktop, to the slicker (reflective) crosswalk areas at different points throughout the track. The tight width of the track and sharp turns also made this race a fascinating watch to see how each driver would perform under these conditions.
Since the race started late, NASCAR needed to reduce the laps from 100 to 75 as the sun was near setting. In those final laps, the tension grew as the drivers tried to clinch the lead position. New Zealander, Shane Van Gisbergen, (known for his unique foot braking style) indeed took the lead creating a nail-biting finish to an amazing race.
While many things did not go according to plan this weekend, the Grant Park 220 race helped to make NASCAR’s bumpy ride into A successful Chicago street race weekend overall.
NASCAR is due to return in 2024 and 2025 and whether they were successful this year with the fans and making new fans along the way, we will have to see.
Read more reviews here!
Chicago Street Race: Grant Park 220 Extended Highlights
Links:
Official: https://www.nascarchicago.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NASCARChicago
Twitter: https://twitter.com/NASCARChicago
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nascarchicago/