Once seen as a strange fit for the city, the NASCAR Chicago Street Race has become a staple on the city’s sports calendar.
But 2025 could be the last edition of the race, which will be held Saturday and Sunday, as NASCAR’s deal with the city is set to expire after this season. The deal includes options to continue the event.
NASCAR reportedly is close to finalizing a deal with San Diego for a street race, which would leave the fate of the Chicago race in limbo. Chicago Street Race president Julie Giese said it’s possible to have both events on the calendar.
“We’ve had great conversations with the city,” Giese told the Sun-Times. “I think right now, our focus is on this year’s event. We’re a week away, so we’re focused on hosting the best NASCAR Chicago Street Race yet. We have those two option years, and we’ll continue those conversations coming out of the event weekend.”
NASCAR and former Mayor Lori Lightfoot negotiated the original three-year contract, with NASCAR aiming to innovate with a street race and Lightfoot seeking to bring a unique event to Chicago.
NASCAR previously held an annual race at Chicagoland Speedway in Joliet before pulling out in 2019.
Drivers understand that Chicago is one of the bigger markets in the country, and despite some initial apprehension about racing through city streets, many have enjoyed the change of pace the Chicago Street Race has provided.
“Once we got here on the weekend and saw how it was all operating and how it kind of flowed through the city, I was really in awe of how it went,” Ryan Blaney, the 2023 NASCAR Cup Series champion, told the Sun-Times.
The Cup Series and Xfinity Series races — following a 12-turn, 2.2-mile course against the backdrop of Lake Michigan — are the main attractions during a weekend that also will feature music from Zac Brown Band, among other festivities in Grant Park, plus other community events throughout the city.
The street course itself has come with its share of hiccups since it was first raced in 2023. Initially, neighborhood residents were concerned about the street closures required. NASCAR addressed those complaints this year by reducing the course construction time by two weeks compared to previous years, minimizing the number of interruptions and closures.
“We’ve got a lot of things that we have continued to add to the schedule and some tweaks to the layout that have also helped with the build schedule and the shorter window,” Giese said.
Giese said ticket sales have been “great” for this year’s event in comparison to previous years, with reduced cost likely a factor. General admission “Grounds Pass” tickets are a third cheaper than last year, and grandstand reserve seats are 50% of what they were in 2024. Kids 12 and under will be admitted free all weekend.
Last year’s Chicago Street Race generated an estimated $128 million in local economic impact — a 17% increase compared to 2023.
“This is a city that knows how to put on big events — just look at the different events that this city has hosted over the years,” Giese said. “We’ve enjoyed, and continue to enjoy, that relationship we have with the entire city.”