Press Release | CHICAGO STREET RACE
CHICAGO, Ill. (June 26, 2023) – As fans head to Grant Park for the inaugural Chicago Street Race Weekend on July 1-2, they’ll have the opportunity to participate in a two-day sports and music festival unlike anything seen before in NASCAR’s 75-year history. On Saturday, July 1, the NASCAR Chicago Street Race will feature a significant historical moment as the NASCAR Cup Series field will be introduced as part of a special event on the concert stage prior to The Chainsmokers headlining set. The moment will include exciting fan elements including the sport’s largest crowd selfie and the Cup Series field photo to remember the moment in time of the first-ever Cup Series Street Race alongside Chicago fans.
The Chicago Street Race will feature the first-ever NASCAR Xfinity Series The Loop 121 and Cup Series Grant Park 220 to cap off a unique Fourth of July celebration in downtown Chicago, complete with a music festival featuring global headliners The Black Crowes, Charley Crockett, Miranda Lambert, local favorites The JC Brooks Band, and a special appearance by all of the NASCAR Cup Series drivers during a feature set by The Chainsmokers.
“Whether you’re a long-time NASCAR fan or a first-time racegoer, this weekend is going to be the can’t-miss event of the summer,” said Julie Giese, Chicago Street Race President. “With the racing action, concerts, driver appearances, NASCAR Experience activations, and our free entertainment in Butler Field that is open to the public – NASCAR is all about putting fans close to the action in a way that no other sport can, and to do it in Chicago during the best time of the year is going to make this weekend a true bucket-list sporting event.”
With excitement reaching a fever pitch throughout Chicago, the festivities began more than a week in advance of race weekend in every neighborhood across Chicago. From NASCAR Night at Navy Pier on Tuesday, June 27 to Bubba’s Block Party at the DuSable Black History Museum and Education Center in Washington Park on Wednesday, June 28 to NASCAR Night with the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field on Thursday, June 29, NASCAR will host events and activations for fans to get involved throughout race week.
“For a race as big as this, we’re pulling out all the stops here in Chicago,” said Pete Jung, NASCAR Chief Marketing Officer. “This is an incredible opportunity to show all the ways in which NASCAR engages in the community, and we have planned a full week of fun, family-friendly opportunities to take part in this historic event.”
Race Weekend Activities
Racegoers will be able to enjoy an exclusive walkthrough NASCAR’s 75-year history, NBC Sports’ live broadcast at Buckingham Fountain, and a local food hall serving legendary Chicago cuisine. The NASCAR shopping experience will include one large merchandise location as well as a premium location for fans to purchase race team merchandise, in addition to smaller merchandise locations available in the Pit Shop throughout the course.
Throughout Grant Park, there will be special NASCAR photo locations to capture a memory to stand the test of time. There will be photo moments including the Chicago Street Race logo at the north entrance, Chicago Street Race and NASCAR flag processional leading to Buckingham Fountain, race flag tunnel into the Lakefront Green, NASCAR 75 icon on the Buckingham Fountain Table, NASCAR diamond icon by the President’s Paddock Club, and more.
For a more elevated view, attendees can ride the Ferris Wheel, originally called the Chicago Wheel when it debuted in 1893, for unparalleled views of the Chicago Street Course and Lake Michigan.
On the Lakefront Green, the Main Stage will host The JC Brooks Band, The Black Crowes, and all the NASCAR Cup Series drivers and the winner of NASCAR Xfinity Series The Loop 121 during The Chainsmokers concert on Saturday, July 1, in addition to sets from Miranda Lambert and Charley Crockett on Sunday, July 2.
In-between sets, fans can visit the Tavern for a cold beer, glass of wine or a craft cocktail while watching live race feeds or play yard games before heading over to watch the race from along the track.
NASCAR Village at Butler Field – Free Experience
The NASCAR Village will be a free-to-the-public experience for fans that will be staged in Butler Field adjacent to all the action. The free experience will open at 9 a.m. on July 1-2.
The NASCAR Village will feature viewing areas into the NASCAR Cup Series garage and haulers, displays from the Field Museum, NBC’s Hot Wheels Ultimate Challenge, Oakley, the United States Air Force, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois Community Van and tire swing photo op, MRN Radio, McDonald’s, the United States Navy, NASCAR merchandise, water refill stations, the NASCAR Box Office, entertaining and educational information on NASCAR, and concessions for purchase.
In addition, there will be a live painting demonstration by Paint The City, an artist-led 501(c)(3) non-profit organization whose mission is to connect local artists of color with local businesses to Heal the City Through Art with beautification projects that also help financially support artists of color. Chicago-area artists from local non-profit After Schools Matters will also feature a 200-foot NASCAR-themed mural, which was designed for the inaugural Chicago Street Race weekend.
Guests under the age of 18 must be accompanied by an adult, 21-years and older and may be asked to present a valid ID. The NASCAR Village at Butler Field will close at the checkered flag each day.
Race Weekend Schedule (all times local)
Saturday, July 1
9 a.m. | Gates Open
10 – 10:50 a.m. | Practice – NASCAR Xfinity Series
11 a.m. – 12 p.m. | Qualifying – NASCAR Xfinity Series
12 – 12:30 p.m. | Pre-Race Concert Featuring JC Brooks Band
12:30 p.m. – 1:20 p.m. | Practice – NASCAR Cup Series
1:30 – 2:30 p.m. | Qualifying – NASCAR Cup Series
2:30 – 3:30 p.m. | Pre-Race Concert Featuring The Black Crowes
3:30 p.m. | Driver Intros
4 p.m. | The Loop 121 – NASCAR Xfinity Series Race
7 p.m. | REV UP: NASCAR Chicago Street Race Kickoff at Concert Stage
7:30 p.m. | Post-Race Concert Featuring The Chainsmokers
Sunday, July 2
9 a.m. | Gates Open
12 – 1 p.m. | Pre-Race Concert featuring Charley Crockett
1:30 – 3 p.m. | Pre-Race Concert featuring Miranda Lambert
4 p.m. | Driver Intros
4:30 p.m. | Grant Park 220 – NASCAR Cup Series Race
Post-Race | Rouff Mortgage Victory Lane Celebration
Race Week Activities
June 27, 5 – 9 p.m. | NASCAR Night at Navy Pier (Aon Grand Ballroom, 804 E Grand Ave, Chicago, IL)
The free event – open to the public – will give Chicagoans and visitors a chance to virtually drive the Chicago Street Course on the same official iRacing simulators that NASCAR drivers are using to prepare for the first-of-its-kind event. In addition, NASCAR will host a livestream of the eNASCAR Coca-Cola iRacing Series race on the Chicago Street Course with special guest Matt Bussa, eNASCAR Coca-Cola iRacing Series driver for William Byron eSports. Fans will also have a chance to take a photo with the official Grant Park 220 and The Loop 121 trophies, have a first-look at Chicago Street Race merchandise, get a snapshot with the NASCAR Next Gen show car, and jump in the 360-degree photo booth. Registration is not required.
June 27, 6 – 8:30 p.m. | Leading from the Front: A conversation with the women of NASCAR’s Chicago Street Race Weekend (Chicago Athletic Association, Eighth floor, 12 S. Michigan Avenue, Chicago, IL 60603)
On Tuesday, June 27, join WISE Chicago and NASCAR to get a behind-the-scenes look at the event and meet and learn more from those bringing the event to life as we host the panel discussion, Leading from the Front: A Conversation with the Women of NASCAR's Chicago Street Race Weekend. Space for the event is limited so make sure you register early.
June 28, 5 – 9 p.m. | Bubba’s Block Party (DuSable Black History Museum and Education Center, 740 E 56th Pl, Chicago, IL)
Bubba's Block Party is a community-focused initiative that aims to drive awareness, access, and engagement to the sport among the Black community while generating excitement around the race weekend. The family-friendly eventincludes local Black-owned food truck vendors, live musical performances, and an introduction to NASCAR through activities and games.
June 28, 6 – 9 p.m. | NASCAR Chicago Street Race and The NASCAR Foundation’s “Fueling the Fight to End Hunger” to support the Greater Chicago Food Depository (Steak 48, 615 N. Wabash, Chicago)
NASCAR drivers, celebrities and Chicago notables will be in attendance for the Fueling the Fight to End Hunger fundraiser to support the Greater Chicago Food Depository, a Chicago-based non-profit organization that strives to end hunger by connecting neighbors with healthy food and advancing solutions that address the root causes of hunger, visit NASCARfoundation.org/Chicago. To learn more or purchase tickets, visit NASCARChicago.com.
June 29, 1:30 – 2:30 p.m. | Columbus Park Teen Center Pit Stop (Columbus Park Teen Center, 500 S. Central Ave., Chicago IL)
NASCAR Chicago Street Race “pit stop” giving teens the opportunity to get up close with official pace car and check out NASCAR Cup Series driver Aric Almirola’s fire suit, as well as talk to NASCAR team members about careers in motorsports. Larenz, Larron, and Lahmard Tate will be on hand to engage teens with a surprise for the Chicago Street Race.
June 29, 7:05 p.m. | NASCAR Night at Wrigley Field (1060 W Addison St, Chicago, IL)
Before the weekend’s race, come out to Wrigley Field, which will be filled with high-octane NASCAR activations, music, and appearances from participating drivers! Most importantly, there is a NASCAR Day Special Ticket Offer – which includes a ticket to the Cubs-Phillies game at Wrigley Field and a special-edition NASCAR themed bobblehead.
Chicago Street Race
As part of NASCAR’s 75th anniversary season, the first-ever Chicago Street Race Weekend will feature the NASCAR Cup Series’ Grant Park 220 and NASCAR Xfinity Series’ The Loop 121 competing on a 12-turn, 2.2-mile street course, along with full-length concerts by The Chainsmokers and Miranda Lambert with the support of The Black Crowes and Charley Crockett over Fourth of July Weekend on July 1-2.
General admission and reserved tickets are on sale for the Chicago Street Race. Two-day general admission tickets start at $269 and reserved tickets that offer an array of opportunities including reserved seating and a wide variety of premium experiences start at $465. To purchase tickets, fans can log onto NASCARChicago.com or call 1-888-629-7223.
The Grant Park 220 will be nationally broadcast on NBC on Sunday, July 2 at 5:30 p.m. ET/4:30 p.m. CT and The Loop 121 will be broadcast nationally on USA Network at 5:00 p.m. ET/4:00 p.m. CT.
To stay up to date with the Chicago Street Race, fans can subscribe to receive exclusive Chicago Street Race emails, follow @NASCARChicago on Twitter and Facebook and download the NASCAR Tracks App for the latest real-time updates on all aspects of the event.