NASCAR continues impact on South and West Sides with Speed and Sound Fest

In addition to getting ready for this weekend’s Cup Series and Xfinity Series races, drivers in Chicago this week have spent time attending community events — including some meant to introduce NASCAR to underrepresented areas that might not other-wise pay much attention to the sport.

One of the last events before the third annual Chicago Street Race extravaganza was the Speed and Sound Fest on Thursday at the DuSable Black History Museum and Education Center on the South Side, where NASCAR driver Bubba Wallace — one of three Black drivers to win a national series race — had previously held his “Bubba’s Block Party” event in 2023. The fest, which included food trucks representing a variety of local businesses, exposed attendees to NASCAR through a live simulator, a car show and a demonstration of the technology behind constructing a NASCAR car.

This week, NASCAR also hosted an immersion day in partnership with After School Matters, a NASCAR Family Fest with hands-on activities and a NASCAR-themed field day at the South Side YMCA.

“This was something that we have said from Day 1 — that we want to be in the communities 365 days a year,” said Julie Giese, president of the Chicago Street Race. “We want to be present. We want to be authentic. And so bringing NASCAR to all of [these attendees] is important to us. We want to give back. We want to make a positive impact.”

Driver Alex Bowman, who won last year’s Grant Park 165, the Cup Series portion of the Chicago Street Race, attended the fest at DuSable and the event at the South Side YMCA. Bowman’s sponsor, Ally Financial, provided shoes for children in attendance, who got to observe a pit crew demonstration.

“A big part of this weekend is what we’re doing [Thursday] with all the stops we’re making, just exposing NASCAR to different communities,” Bowman said.

The NASCAR Drive for Diversity program was established in 2004 to identify and develop drivers from diverse backgrounds, also well as open lucrative opportunities in pit crews. Last year, Briana Daniels became the first Black woman to join a NASCAR pit crew — just the sort of example NASCAR hopes to highlight when it showcases the sport in non-traditional communities.

Shermann “Dilla” Thomas, a Chicago historian who has worked with NASCAR starting with the first Chicago Street Race in 2023, said he has been pleased with the investments on the South and West sides, areas often overlooked by visitors when they travel to Chicago.

“They’re leading the pack,” Thomas said. “NASCAR Chicago hits the South and West side purposefully.”

Thomas wasn’t familiar with NASCAR himself before the Chicago Street Race.

“[I] didn’t know any terminology, and now I’m a full-fledged fan,” he said. “This [event] is helpful for some exposure. Once you’re exposed, you can learn about jobs and different careers. Somebody’s son might love flying a drone, and there’s stuff for them in NASCAR.”

Those sorts of opportunities matter more than complaints about street closures.

“I know we Chicagoans don’t want NASCAR closing down our streets for nothing, but the amount of money that NASCAR generates for Chicago . . . it’s hard to argue against,” Thomas said.